Fullmetal Kingdom: Disc 2
by Werewolf27
Summary: Edward and Sora's journey continues with more questions to be answered, like who this 'Namine' is, and what the secret behind the Philosopher Stone is? But unbeknown to the heroes, one question still eludes them...what sacrifices must be made to learn the truth?
1. Chapter 1

**Because you demanded, because you praised, the ultimate Square-Enix crossover will now continue! Thanks to all who supported the project! **

**The Kingdom Hearts franchise + the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise = FULLMETAL KINGDOM...now continuing on Disc 2.**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 111: The Elrics' Search

Edward stood before what remained of the library, dumbfounded and dazed. He walked through the wreckage, hoping to find anything written by Marcoh, but to his disappointment, the books were dust in the wind…

Al tried to say something to Edward, "Brother, maybe we could restore the building-." But Ed said, "The building's not the problem Al, it's the books. All the books, they're all gone, evaporated, there's nothing left to give us even the slimmest bit of hope. Let's face it, our only decent clue just burned into ash." The brothers were at their lowest breaking point, and not even their substitute bodyguards, Maria Ross and Denny Block could do or say anything to help.

"It's a shame, those boys came all this way to find a clue, and it's all gone." Ross said. Ed turned around and asked, "What happened, how did the library burn down?!" Block reported, "Well uh, Mr. Elric, our sources reported that a bloody yellow jacket washed up in the river nearby." Al remembered, "Could that be Scar's jacket?" Ed answered, "Yeah, it could be, but why would he-?"

Suddenly, the Fullmetal noticed teeth marks on parts of the walls and claw marks on the ground…

"Was there anyone else here?" Ed asked, Block replied, "Not that we know of sir, why?" Ed answered, "There are teeth and claw marks all around here. I suggest you gather some officers, set up a crime scene, and investigate. Whoever Scar was fighting with might still be somewhere around the city. In the meantime, we've got places to go." As Ed walked away from the group, Block asked, "W-wait, where are you going?" Ed answered, "To the second library nearby. What, you thought this was the only library in a city as big as Central?"

Elsewhere, the train finally arrived at the train station near North City. Sora came out and stretched his arms and back, feeling stiff after the nap. He then called out, "Donald, Goofy, come out already, we've arrived!" the Genomes came out and to their wondering eyes, they witness something extraordinary…

"W-WHAT'S WITH THE WINTER WONDERLAND?!"

"Gwarsh, I never imagined such a beautiful, snowy place could exist in Amestris."

As the two gazed, Sora explained, "Welcome to North City guys. It's a cold location of Amestris where the winter never stops. However, the place is NOT without hostility. North City is said to be ruled strictly by a military branch of terrifying operatives." Donald then asked, "So they're tougher than Mustang and the others in East City?" Sora nodded; making the Genomes wonder what kind of officers could be so powerful…

"But that's only half the trouble in North City. I heard the animals are just as ruthless, in fact they say there's a bear, ten times the size of any man, who could smash you into small bits!"

Donald and Goofy held one another in fear, "A-A BEAR?!" Sora continued, "Yeah, a bear like that lives nearby, but he only appears near the great wall." Donald then asked, "So what is this 'great wall'?" Sora explained, "The great wall is the main base for the military branch. Its real name is Briggs, the wall that divides us from Drachma, a ruthless and stuffy country that has bad history with Amestris."

"So as long as that wall is up, nobody can invade?" Goofy asked. Sora answered, "Right, we're safe here…" Sora then had a look on his face, indicating a worried feeling…

Sora, Donald, and Goofy wondered into the city, hoping to find Leon's group. As they looked, Goofy and Donald remembered something about Sora, something Kairi said to them…

"First off, I'm sorry I shot at you two. If I knew the kind of people you were, I never would've pointed a gun at you in the first place. Second, I need to know, are you…chimeras?" Kairi's question made Donald answer, "What we are shouldn't be any importance to anyone, certainly not a gun-chick like you!" Kairi sighed and said, "Geez, don't have to ruffle your feathers, I was just curious. If you don't want to explain yourselves, then fine, I won't force you. All I want is-…well, there's something I need to tell you guys, y'know, since you're his friends…"

Donald and Goofy listened to Kairi, who told them about her connection to Sora in their childhood…

After the flashback, Donald asked, "So Sora, since we've been quiet for hours, why don't we talk about something?" Sora then asked, "Alright, what do you guys want to talk about?" Goofy answered, "Well, we've been on about three journeys with you, and you know everything about us. Like how we're Genomes from a distant and secretive country called Fantasia. But the funny thing is we don't know anything about you." Donald then said, "Yeah Sora, how did you get involved with Y. O. U. T. H., also, what was life like before you even joined the orphanage?"

Sora didn't answer…

Donald and Goofy looked at each other, wondering why their friend wouldn't answer, but before anything happened, the group heard someone…

"Sora, Donald, Goofy, over here!"

Sora and the others looked and saw Yuffie, who was sporting some new clothes, such as a camouflage t-shirt, black boots, vest, gloves and a headband with white edges. Yuffie waved at them while rushing to them, all the while saying, "How're my favorite money-bags doing?" Sora questioned, "M-money-bags? What's that about?!" Yuffie explained, "Well, while you were visiting Central during your adventures, you came around Rin's once and a while, right?" Sora, Donald and Goofy nervously nodded. Yuffie then said, "There we go, now you get your roles, as our providers of cash! Speaking of which, how much do ya have right now-?"

"Yuffie, that is highly inappropriate!" Rin said as he came up to the group. Rin then reported, "Aeris told us you'd be coming by, and I can see I was right to trust her intuition." Sora then asked, "So you guys are really going through Fort Briggs, huh?" Rin nodded, "Yes, Leon's been planning this mission for months now, and we as a unit, must follow our commander."

"But the truth is, right now, we're only just beginning to pack up for our trip to Drachma. We're nowhere near ready." Yuffie said. Sora then asked, "So you guys aren't in any danger?" Yuffie and Rin replied, "NOPE!" Sora sighed and asked, "Well can I see the others?" Rin nodded, "Of course, the base is this way." As the group followed Rin they arrive at another Travel Agency, which looks a lot like the one in Central City.

Sora then asked, "So, you got more Travel Agencies?" Rin nodded, "Yes, they're a great way to do business. In a way, the customers are the ones paying for our supplies." Sora sighed and went in, along with his friends. However, the group was constantly being watched…

Back in Central, Edward was inside the second library, where he was speaking to the owner, who explained only the worst, "I'm sorry Mr. Elric, but we've looked at every book we've collected from the old library, and nothing was related to-or written by this Tim Marcoh. If there was a book written by him, there'd be a record of it." Ed sighed and asked, "Well is it possible somebody checked it out?" The librarian replied, "I suppose…but the circulation records were burnt in the fire."

Ed sighed in misery and said, "If only we could confirm that Marcoh's research was in here last night. Just wondering mam, but was there anyone else working at the library who might know?" the librarian replied, "I'm sorry, but Gerald and I were the only ones at the first branch." Ed then realized something, "W-wait, just the two of you?" Al asked, "What is it brother?" Ed answered, "I remember…there was a mousy girl with glasses working there to." The librarian then said, "Oh, you must be talking about our former bookworm, Sheska! I'm sorry if you haven't heard, but last year, she was let go."

Ed then asked, "Wait, let go?" Gerald nodded, "That's right, she was one odd-duck, she could never fit in. Instead of doing her job, she always had her nose in a book." Ed then said, "Well then, we should probably meet with her, don't you think Al?" Al answered, "She is the only link we have to finding Marcoh's notes. Alright, let's go." The librarian then said, "I believe her house is just down the street to your left." Ed waved and left, "Thanks for the help!"

Back in North City, in the Travel Agency, Aeris was watering the flowers while humming a song when she heard the door open. She then sees Sora and his friends come in with Yuffie and Rin, who said, "Aeris, it seems we've got ourselves some honored guests." Aeris smiled and said, "Come sit here on the couch boys, I'll get Leon." Aeris walked past the group, but looked at Sora as she passed by; the group then made themselves comfortable while waiting for the 'leader' to show up.

Just then, Sora said, "…I still can't believe you're planning on sneaking past Briggs, that place is impenetrable! Not to mention the security, it's like a moth to the flame." Yuffie then said, "And yet, we're still going. Hmm, it's like we don't care how dangerous it is, I wonder why? Oh yeah, I remember now, we're not worried because WE'RE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS!" Rin added, "She is right my friend, we're adaptable, all of us. Why there hasn't been a situation we couldn't solve. What's a wall to people like us?"

"Well for one thing, a graveyard." Sora's words caught Yuffie and Rin off guard. Just then, the group noticed someone coming down the stairs, "I'll be the judge of that." Leon said as he came down. Sora greeted, "Hey Leon, I came up to see how you guys were doing in your mission." Leon then said, "Well as you can see, we're progressing slowly. Supplies and food is the only things on our list currently, and when we collected enough, we'll head out. We might be leaving here in about two weeks, by then, we'll let you know our status."

Sora brought out his hand and said, "Keep me posted, my home is the Hughes' Family's house. You know the one, right?" Leon grabbed Sora's hand and answered, "Yeah, the Lieutenant Colonel gave us his mailing address after Mustang signed us up as allies." Sora then asked, "Colonel Mustang trusted you?" Leon answered, "Of course he does; we've got no reason to make enemies of the military, all we want is our home back, and Xehanort's scrawny butt in jail."

Sora smiled and the two shook hands. After that, Sora said, "I'll come as soon as you need me. And also, be careful when you encounter anyone affiliated with the Homunculus." Leon's group wondered what Sora meant, so he explained, "I've been hearing rumors, humanoid figures with pale skin, black clothes, and the Ouroboros tattoo. Watch out for them Leon, they seem to prefer remaining secret…"

Sora then shook Rin's hand, then he knuckle-bumped Yuffie. And when he came before Aeris, the flower girl grasped his shoulder and whispered something…

"We believe there's a girl named Namine being held inside Briggs."

What Aeris said had Sora scared beyond his belief, But Aeris continued whispering, what she said after words seemed to calm him down a bit.

"We can't confirm it yet, but we'll give you more information when it comes. If it IS her, we'll save her."

He then hugged her and went to the door. He then said, "Donald, Goofy, we're heading out for now. Leon…best of luck." Leon nodded, and the trio left…

Outside the Travel Agency, Envy and Kairi watched Sora, Donald and Goofy as they left. Envy then said, "So Mr. Hero's got some friends here, this'll be useful…what we need is the flower girl, I bet I could impersonate her and seduce the little worm back here-! Kairi, why aren't you planning with me?" Kairi pointed down to Sora and revealed something unexpected…

"…you're not the same guy from Risembool, are you?" Sora asked the hooded figure.

As they watched, Envy wondered, "Who the Hell is the 'Phantom Menace' over there?!" Kairi answered, "Competition maybe?" Envy shook his head and said, "Who's got the balls to compete with us?" Kairi then suggested, "Let's listen in; maybe he'll release the info without noticing us…"

The hooded figure replied, "Afraid not, the one you met is an imposter of our syndicate." Sora sighed and asked, "A syndicate? …whatever, so what do you want?" The hooded man replied, "To invite you into the adventure of a lifetime, fellow knight. There is a princess waiting and you're her only hope."

"What kind of princess would want a scrawny little bug like him, other than you, I can't imagine any loser who'd even want him." Envy said as he observed. Kairi quietly responded, "_**SHHHHHHADDAP!**_"

Sora then said, "A princess? Do you mean…_**NAMINE**_**, you're talking about Namine, aren't you?!**"

Kairi wondered, "…Namine, who's that?" Envy replied, "She might be the only chick he has eyes for, can't blame him when the chick who likes him has flabby useless muscles on her chest-."

(_**THWACK**_)

Envy was motionless after Kairi smacked her partner on the skull with her gun handle. She then said, "An innocent, young woman's feelings are at stake_, MIND YOUR MANNERS!_"

The hooded figure nodded, "I do, your precious one is hidden from you, but the real question would be 'where', wouldn't it?" Sora then ordered, "_Tell me where she is!_" Donald then stepped in and said, "You can't trust this guy Sora, he wants you to crack!" The hooded figure shook his head and said, "Sorry, that temper won't save her, and neither will you, if you don't learn how to listen. I cannot tell, but I will leave you with a warning…"

Just then, the hooded figure vanished from Sora's sight!

"**Along the road ahead, there lies something you need, **_**however-!**_"

Sora then turned around and saw the hooded figure on top of the fountain!

"…**in order to claim it…**"

The hooded man then raised his arms towards the sky…

"…**you must lose something…**"

Kairi then noticed the hooded figure was looking at her when he spoke. She also noticed the hooded figure's smile as he stared…

"…did he…notice me?" Kairi wondered.

"…**something that is dear to you.**"

Kairi felt a tingle of fear from his words, so she pointed her guns, alarming Envy, who said, "Whoa babe, put those away! We can't be seen, remember?!"

Suddenly, the clouds in the sky turned red, and released small seeds onto the ground. As they dropped, they burrowed into the ground, one by one. As all the seeds were underground, the ground started to shake, and to Sora, Donald, and Goofy's surprise, flower-like Golems were popping up, ready to initiate a battle! "We'll meet again…when you lose what you cannot part with." The hooded figure said as a black portal came behind him.

"_**WAIT, GET BACK HERE!**_" Kairi yelled as she charged for him, but she was too late, the hooded figure walked backwards into the portal and vanished, leaving Sora, Kairi, and the others to deal with the Golem army of Creeper Plants…

End of Chapter 111

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**Next Chapter: Kairi's allegiances are put to the test while the Elric Brothers meet with a peculiar girl... **

**Please Comment!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Last time, Edward and Alphonse Elric arrived at what was left of the First Branch Library and found the books burned and the building torn through by Scar and whoever he fought against. Seeing no other option, Edward decided to head over to the Second Branch Library, where the librarian reported nothing related to Marcoh EVER being written for either library. However, Edward remembered a girl who used to work in the library, the librarian identified the 'mousey' girl as Sheska, a silly bookworm who kept poking her nose into every book she could find and reading like crazy. Ed and Al then headed off, hoping that Sheska had the key to Marcoh's Research...**

**Elsewhere, Sora, Donald, and Goofy reunited with Leon and the rest of the Restoration Comity in North City. While in their base, Sora learned about their infiltration mission to bypass Fort Briggs, but what was even more of a surprise was learning that Namine was being held inside Briggs!**

**As he left, Sora encountered a mysterious hooded man who spoke in riddles and gave a warning to Sora...**

**"_Along the road ahead, there lies something you need, however, in order to claim it, you must lose something that is dear to you._"**

**As soon as the figure finished, he summoned flower-like Golems to attack Sora and the others while making his getaway! At an instant, Kairi arrived to help, thus making Sora wonder why she was even there in the first place...**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 112: Feelings for the Enemy

The Creeper Plants hissed around Sora, Donald, Kairi and Goofy. As they hissed, Sora looked at Kairi and asked, "So, are you going to explain why you're here, 'old friend'?" Kairi then said, "What's with the attitude? I'm here to help you, and I've NEVER ignored a friend's cry for help!" Sora then said, "Wow, you're surprisingly noble, aren't you? Is it because you'd do anything to gain my trust and lure me into your trap?"

As Envy listened from the rooftops, he realized what Sora meant, "I knew it, Isaac's been 'chatty', and gave away our existence!"

Just then, the Creeper Plant's roots came out of the ground and started attacking the group! Goofy attempted to shield the group, but the roots grabbed his shield and threw it, along with Goofy, away! Donald shot a few Fire spells at the Golems, but was taken by surprise from behind when a few Creeper Plants came from behind and grabbed him! The roots then threw him into the garbage!

Kairi managed to shoot down 14 of them while Sora sliced through a wave of Creeper Plants! After that, Kairi asked, "So would you mind telling me what the problem is? We were cool until you started huffing and puffing like a bitch!" After cutting down more monsters, Sora replied, "Like you don't know! And if I told you out here, somebody'll hear and probably tell your boss." Kairi asked, "Are you saying I'm a spy?!" Sora replied, "I'm saying you're something I never wanted to believe! I know you're partners with Solaris and that cannibal guy who tried to eat me! AND I know your friends are somehow the reason why Isaac McDougal turned traitor! He knew something about the military and quit because of them!"

After killing more Golems, Kairi said, "So you think I'm one of the bad guys?! HOW DARE YOU! I made sacrifices so that I could be here with you today, I'm here because of you, and I want that more than anything! If you're so scared of me, then I'll go away, I won't bug you again! Just know that I gave my humanity away for you, and I'd do it again if it meant saving someone I-!"

(CLASH)

A Creeper Plant took Kairi by surprise and smacked her into the fountain!

"KAIRI?!" Sora then rushed to her and pulled her out of the fountain. Just then, he noticed her tears coming down form her eyes. He also noticed blood coming down her face…

Sora slowly turned around and furiously attacked the remaining group of Creeper Plants!

_(CHLOP)_

"_**DON'T THINK…**__"_

_(SLASH)_

"…_**FOR A SECOND…**__"_

_(SLICE)_

"…_**THAT YOU…**__"_

_(CHOP)_

"…_**CAN HURT…**__"_

_(SHUCK)_

"…_**MY FRIENDS!**__"_

The Keyblade tore through every last Golem…

…after a few minutes, the Golems were dead, lying on the ground motionless…

Sora ran to Kairi and asked, "Kairi, are you alright?" Kairi replied, "Ugh, m-my head…w-why am I bleeding?!" Sora dug into his pockets and pulled out a safety kit. He then said, "Don't worry, I'll help you, just hold still…"

Sora pulled out a large amount of bandage paper and wrapped it around Kairi's head. He then tore his right sleeve off, wetted it with some snow near the fountain, and said, "This is going to feel cold, but try to bear with it." Sora then wiped the blood from her face. Though the cloth felt cold, Kairi didn't feel too bad, she just watched Sora nurse her back to health. Kairi grabbed Sora's arm and said, "I-I think the pain stopped. Thank you Sora." Sora then said, "A concussion like that isn't something I can ignore! I have to get you to a hospital!"

(BRACK)

Sora suddenly went down, collapsing on Kairi! Kairi looked behind him and saw he attacker!

"Nice work 'doll-face', he was completely fixated on your so-called injury."

Envy walked up to Kairi and took off her bandages, "He never even noticed the blood coming back inside. Your healing factor's safe, now all we need to do…is keep our existence safe." Envy then pulled out a small dagger and said, "Turn him around; his heart'll be a wonderful trophy for Mother."

"_NO, YOU CAN'T!_" Kairi held Sora close to her, but Envy grabbed her hair and said, "_**YOU'RE NOT HUMAN, AND HE'S A LOOSE END! EITHER HE'S WITH US, OR HE'S MISSING A PULSE!**_ You can't keep him safe from me, 'princess', he's already a threat!"

Kairi looked at Sora and said, "…I know…Father gave us the order." Envy then said, "Good girl, now if you keep him still, I'll let you keep what's left." Kairi grabbed the dagger and said, "Hold it, 'either he's with us or missing a pulse', remember? As soon as we get him back to Central, AND as soon as we lure the Elrics into our trap, then he'll see what kind of 'friends' they are, and he can join us, knowing that we're the only friends he needs." Envy sneered, "You won't give him to me either way, will you?"

Kairi looked at Envy with a stern and determined look and said, "**…never.**"

Envy then laughed and said, "Fine, keep your toy! When this is over, and when he's still with those bastard sons, you'll die before them…" Envy then came to Kairi's ear and whispered, "_…and I'll make him watch._"

(SMACK)

Kairi was slapped before she could say anything else!

"We're leaving, now pick that sucker up and let's go!" Envy ordered as he headed for the train station.

While Kairi got up, Donald watched from the garbage can while thinking, _Of all the traitors I've met, that little-! I can't believe she'd play Sora like some flute! What's worse is that she'll try and force him to join their team! I'm not Edward's biggest fan, but Sora chose his side, and I'm not going to let them change his allegiance any time soon!_

Donald continued watching Kairi as she picked Sora up and walked away, oddly, she looked where Donald was, but she kept walking…

As soon as the gunslinger was gone, Donald jumped out of the trash can and walked towards Goofy, who seemed to still be unconscious. Donald tried waking Goofy by slapping him, "Come on, wake up already Goofy, WAKE UP!"

(SMACK-SMACK)

"Mmm, Pete's cheering PJ and Maxy on, just like me…Mmm, happy day, happy day (snore)."

Donald was about to summon a bolt of lightning to wake Goofy until he heard someone coming!

"I almost forgot to deal with the other 'loose ends'!"

Donald recognized Envy's voice and tried carrying Goofy away!

Envy then arrived back in the fountain plaza. He looked towards the wall where Goofy used to be and said, "Looks like 'Rover' ran with his tail between his legs! Nomatter, as long as the duck's inside that trash can-!"

(clang-clang)

Envy then noticed a can rolling at his feet…

"Hmm, or inside the alley…"

Envy headed into the alleyway, where multiple trash cans and garbage buckets were located. Envy went on to search every one he could find. But after searching through every can in the alley, he couldn't find a single trace…until he noticed the recycling bin big enough to hide two people.

Envy came up quietly, carefully grasped the lid, and…

"**AH-HA, GOTCHA FREAK**-w-wha?"

The recycling bin was empty, not a trace of Genome inside.

"_**GRRRRRR, WHERE ARE THEY?!**__"_

Envy pouted and grumbled and walked away while Donald and Goofy hid high on the rooftop. Goofy then whispered, "Donald, why are we hiding again?" Donald replied, "Sora's a hostage Goofy, and we can't afford to be caught. We'll wait for the next train to come here, then we'll board it, and hopefully, we'll be able to reach the Elrics in time to think of a plan!"

The two climbed down quietly, but then, Donald noticed something poking out of Goofy's coat. Curious at what the object was, Donald pulled it out, and saw that it was directions…written directions! Donald read the instructions and was dumbfounded by what he read…

"Goofy, we're leaving!" Donald and Goofy then rushed away…

Back in Central City, the brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, 2nd Lieutenant Maria Ross and Sergeant Denny Block headed down to Traverse Town to look for the 'mousy girl', Sheska.

Edward knocked on the door while calling out, "HELLO, SHESKA? WE HEARD YOU'D BE ABLE TO HELP US LOOK FOR A BOOK!" To the group's curiosity, nobody responded…

Block then said, "That's strange, the lights are still on." Ed then said, "I don't like this, not one bit! We've come across our fair share of failure and death, but I won't risk another one!" Ross then said, "Wait, you're not going to just let yourself in are you? It's illegal!" Al then said, "She's right brother, maybe we should try again later, or-!"

(click-click)

The Fullmetal then noticed another thing out of place, "Uh guys, the door's unlocked."

Edward and Al prepared for whatever's waiting inside while Ross and Block took out their guns to aid their fellow officers…

Ed slowly opened the door…

And to his shock, the ENTIRE place was packed with books!

Ed then said, "C-CRAP, LOOK AT ALL THE BOOKS!" Block then asked, "How can anybody live in a place like this?!" Ed then called out, "Excuse me, Sheska, mam? My name's Edward, I'm with the military, and we were hoping you could help us!" The room was silent…

(rustle-rustle)

Al then noticed something moving, "Brother, over there, look!" As Ed looked, the group heard a voice…

"…help me, PLEASE?! Somebody, please help!"

"_**HOLY CRAP, SHE'S BURRIED UNDER AN AVALANCHE OF KNOWLEDGE!**_"

The group rushed to Sheska and tried to get every book they could off of her!

After a few minutes, the bookworm was out of the endless books which kept her down! She sipped her cocoa and looked shyly at her saviors while saying, "Thank you SO much for the help! Really, I'm grateful! They always said I would die with my head in a book one day, I just-, never thought they meant it literally."

Ed then asked, "So Sheska, you used to work in the First Branch library, right?" Sheska nodded, "Why yes…unfortunately, I got fired a few months ago. They called it a 'lack-luster performance', I read instead of work. My mom's sick and I needed the money to pay the bills, but being surrounded by all those books, I just couldn't control myself." Ed then said, "Sorry to hear, so Sheska, the reason we came is because we were hoping you had anything here written by someone named Tim Marcoh, either that name or any name following one of the two, such as Timothy or Marrow. Would you know any book written by any of the names?"

Sheska pushed her glasses back to her eyes and said, "By a Tim Marcoh? Let's see now…a book written by Tim Marcoh…Tim Marcoh…hmm…OH, YEAH, I REMEMBER NOW! It was a leather-bound volume with lots of hand-written pages, very thorough, plenty of detail!" Ed then asked, "A-and you're sure about that?!" Sheska nodded, "Yeah, I remember ALL the books, especially the ones in the back."

"I-in the back? Then it really WAS in the First Division Library, and we'll never get to read it!" Ed said in despair. Al then said, "I guess we're just not meant to read it." Sheska then said, "S-sorry about that guys, I know how upsetting it is when you can't find that one book you're looking for. …H-however, if you want, I can produce the book for you, no problem."

"_**W-WHA?!**_" Ed and Al asked. Sheska explained, "Well you see, I've got a photographic memory, so I could recreate any book I've read…and since I've read that book while I was working in the library-." Ed stood up and asked, "You can do that?! Well, why didn't you say so earlier?!" Sheska answered, "Well it's because people have made fun of me for it…but if I can be of some help-."

Ed walked to her and shook her hand, "Thanks Sheska, we'd appreciate it! How long will it take?" Sheska replied, "About three days sir." Ed then thought, _THREE DAYS?! I knew she was a bookworm, but a bookworm with a bookmark in her book-brain?!_ Ed cleared his throat and said, "Call me Edward Elric, Sheska. And this here is my younger brother, Alphonse." Al then said, "We really appreciate this Sheska, thank you!" Sheska smiled and said, "No problem, with all this mystery stuff happening, I feel like I'm on board for the action! Just wait three days tops, and you'll see the book."

End of Chapter 112

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**Next Chapter: Donald and Goofy make their way back to Central, however, the route they take may be their last...**

**Please Comment!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Last time, A hooded stranger unleashed a horde of Creeper Plant Golems on Sora and the others, but the REAL conflict was between Sora and his 'friend' Kairi. The Keybearer questioned Kairi about the Homunculi and their involvement with Isaac's mutiny, and though she refused to say anything regarding them, Kairi was still hurt by Sora's words. The Gunslinger revealed that she sacrificed something in order to be with him, but before she could get into detail, Envy knocked Sora unconscious and threatened to kill him if Kairi allowed the secret of their existence to slip...**

**As Kairi left while carrying Sora, Donald and Goofy were hiding away from the Homunculus' sight. Just then, Donald noticed something in Goofy's pocket! It was a note of some kind that gave Donald a reason to make haste...**

**Meanwhile in Central City, the Elrics and their bodyguards arrived at Sheska's house and met the speckled girl. Sheska indeed knew of Tim Marcoh's book, but to the brothers' dismay, it was burned along with the other books in the first branch library. However, the mousy-girl still wanted to help, so she confessed to Edward about her gift of Photographic Memory, which could help her remember an unlimited amount of information, and since she read the whole book before it's destruction, she could write it all up in just 3 days. So now all the Elric Brothers have to do is wait through 3 days until Sheska was finished...**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 113: The Baschool Mines

_Dear Donald, _

_if you're reading this, chances are that plans have taken the scenic route elsewhere and I'll need to rely on you to take the wheel…_

_The train will be dangerous for now, seeing as how my partner has every intention of having roast duck for dinner. I've thought of a way you can avoid that fate, all you need to do is head over to Baschool, a small town, east from North City. There's supposed to be an old mining facility there that you can go through. Now a little warning when you head inside, do NOT turn on the lights! Just walk through it following the sound of dripping water. I know it sounds weird, but trust me; the sound will lead you through the mines and back to Central._

_This WILL take about two days to reach, but don't worry, the tunnels also have resting areas. You can eat and rest until your tired no more._

_See you later, Kairi_

Donald placed the note in his coat pocket and looked around Baschool. Donald then said to himself, "Dank, empty, lifeless, these symptoms would lead to the conclusion of a ghost town! Goofy, what does the map say? Are we close to any 'mining facility' or not?"

"I can't hear ya Donald, I dropped the map inside this cave, and it's SO dark that I'll have to observe closely so I can find the map!" Goofy called.

Donald froze and realized something, "Wait a minute! '_Cave_'…'_Dark_'…_**Goofy, I think you've found-!**_"

(tumble-tumble)

"_**GAAAAAAAAAAAAH-HOO-HOO-HOO-HOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEE!**_"

(CRASH)

"…the entrance to the mines."

Donald headed into the cave and picked Goofy up. As soon as they got back up, they started hearing water dripping…

"(gulp) D-Donald, d-d-do we have to go?" Goofy asked. Donald replied, "As much as it pains me to say it Goofy…yes. Kairi was always a suspicious character since we met, but she never steered us wrong…yet. For Sora's sake, we'll follow her directions till she crashes, so come on; we'll need to use our ears, hopefully until tomorrow."

Donald walked in first, as he walked, he tapped his staff on the walls to his left and said, "You'll need a secondary noise to tell you where to go, so as long as I'm tapping, you can hear and follow, alright?" Goofy nodded and said, "A-alright Donald, if you say so." Donald then said, "Good, I'll listen in on the water while you follow, alright?" Goofy gave the mallard a 'thumbs-up' and followed.

As they traversed through the dark cave, Goofy listened to Donald's tapping while Donald listened for the dripping noises…

Hours went by, and the Genomes were already half-way through the caves…

(KNOCK-KNOCK)

"GWARSH, WHAT WAS THAT?!"

Donald turned around and said, "I'll tap again, hopefully, we've found that 'rest area' Kairi was talking about!"

(knock-knock)

Donald then suggested, "Search for a door knob." Goofy nodded, and the two started feeling the wall…

"Hm…huh? Hey Donald, I think I feel a knob!" Goofy said.

(_SNAP_)

"Hmm, that's strange; a knob shouldn't be THAT old-."

"That wasn't a knob, it was MY STAFF!" Donald shrieked.

Goofy was shocked and apologized, "S-sorry Donald, I'll pick up the headpiece right away!" As Goofy searched, Donald said, "And in the meantime, I'LL KNOCK A PIECE OFF YOUR HEAD!" the furious duck threw down his staff to beat Goofy, but to his surprise, he bashed through the wooden wall, falling through instantly!

(CRASH)

"Hey Donald, I found the knob! (ahyuk) It was here all along!" Donald then asked, "Did your mommy drop you thirteen times or are you intentionally forgetting MY STAFF'S HEADPIECE?!" Goofy shook his head, "Nope, I found that to (ahyuk)."

That night, the two Genomes rested and waited for morning to arrive…

As the next day came, the two were back on their feet and on their way through the mines while listening to the drops of water.

Donald suddenly smelled something sweet, "(sniff-sniff) Hey Goofy-(sniff-sniff-sniff)-I smell-(sniiiifffff)…h-honey?! What's honey doing in a place like this?" Goofy answered, "Maybe we're getting closer." Donald then saw a flicker of light, "(gasp) I SEE IT, I SEE DAYLIGHT GOOFY! WE'RE HOME FREE!" Goofy chased Donald until the duck arrived outside…

"Finally, we're out of the mines!"

"-And in the Hundred Acre Wood 'Quackers'!"

"W-WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

Donald looked around and saw nothing but flowers, tree-houses, misspelled signs, and a tiger who was hopping on his tail! Donald asked, "W-WHERE AM I?!" the tiger replied, "This here's the Hundred Acre Wood, 'feather-face'; it's the funnest place you'll ever live!" Donald then sighed, "I hate it already."

Then a friendly-looking bear walked over and asked, "Want a pot of _**beans**_?"

Donald twitched, "B-beans?! _B-B-B-B-B-B-BEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAANS?!_ Since when do bears eat beans?!"

Suddenly, the rest of the Winnie the Pooh cast poppet out of the ground and pushed Donald around while yelling, "_**Beans, beans, beans, beans-!**_" Donald stressed and struggled, "**NO! NO, STOP, PLEASE STOP IT! NO BEANS, NO BEANS, PLEASE, NO BEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAANS! **_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!**_"

"Donald? Donald, wake up!"

Donald started waking up and asked, "G-Goofy, you-here-I-we're-where-…we're still in the rest area?" Goofy nodded, "Yeah, you were just having a bad dream, but don't worry, I still got some _**beans**_ ready for relishing!"

"_BWAAAAAAAAAAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!_"

Donald then took Goofy's bag of beans and stepped, stomped, even danced all over them until they were nothing but sludge on the ground! Goofy then said, "I guess Donald's gone 'quackers' (ahyuk)!"

After morning on the second day, Donald and Goofy headed once again through the dark mines…

As they walked through, a thought came into Goofy's mind, so he said, "Say Donald, what's a Philosopher Stone?" Donald stopped and asked, "What's with the curiosity all of a sudden?" Goofy answered, "Well we've been with the Elrics once or twice, and I heard they traveled because they were looking for clues on this weird stone. This Philosopher Stone must be something special, right? So what I'm asking is, what do you think it is?"

Donald continued forward and replied, "…the Master once told me about a similar rock. He described it as a stone with a similar color scheme as a ruby, and powers beyond any living things imagination. Castles, armies, mountains, ANYTHING, the stone has the power to tear it all down. But the Master also spoke about its ability to bypass normal magic and the rules that sustain them. It was believed to create islands in a snap, forging statues and fortresses with only the imagination to hinder itself, it can actually restore missing limbs-!"

"THAT'S IT!" Goofy said, he then looked to Donald and said, "Those robo-pieces on Edward, the armor Al uses as a body, they're substitutes for the REAL limbs they lost! Al's entire body and Ed's arm and leg have all been taken, and they're trying to get'm back!"

Donald then said, "Sounds like you've guessed the flavor of the recipe, but you still haven't seen the dish." Goofy asked, "Whaddya mean Donald?" Donald then said, "The Master told me that the stone required something to be paid before being used…or created. He told me that if anyone would actually WANT the stone, they'd have to follow the rules that made the stone, and offer something of equal-and I mean EQUIVALENT-value. The Master refused to tell me anything more, but a few days of thinking got me an answer…what if the equivalent to ultimate power was-?"

(VA-SHING)

Just then, Donald and Goofy stepped on a hidden Transmutation Circle! The two were shocked to know that they may not make it in time to save their friend Sora due to the Circle's known power to either bring up a surprising end to their lives, or send them packing to another world!

But to their surprise, nothing happened…

The alchemy was done, the Circle stopped glowing, yet the duo was in the exact same place they were a minute ago, the Baschool Mines.

(drop-drop)

"Gwarsh Donald, we're not in front of the scary door this time…I think we've gotten lucky." Donald then said, "…well as duds go, at least this one put up a show. Somehow I feel a bit rejuvenated, yeah! Come on Goofy, Central awaits and it's do or die-!"

(heavy grunt)

"(gulp) Uh…Goofy, was that you?" Donald asked. Goofy replied, "Nope, you must've farted because it smells like dead fish now (ahyuk)! Just kiddin' Donald, I know you're putting this light up for me because you care." Donald asked, "W-what light?" Goofy answered, "Why the light behind us! It's just a bright green dot, _**like an eyeball!**_"

"E-E-EYBALL?!"

(slow walking sounds)

Donald felt a tingle of fear come up his spine as he turned around…

Donald looked to where Goofy was looking, and to his horror, he saw the light…shining from a live eye next to a dead eye that barely glimmered.

(_**GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR**_)

"Aw, that's so cute Donald, your stomach grumbled like a _BIIIIIIIIIIG_ ol' bear."

Donald then noticed the eyes getting up, looming over the two Genomes…

"Not a stomach Goofy…not a stomach…"

(_**GRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR**_)

"**IT'S A GIANT BEAR, **_**RUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!**_"

Donald quickly grabs Goofy by the wrist and runs while following the sound of water! As they ran, the bear rushed after them while roaring loudly and terrifying the duck!

"FIRE!" Donald shot a ball of flame at the bear, but when the flame made contact, the bear simply burst through it! As the bear went though, Donald and Goofy noticed its body exposed by the fire's light! It was enormous, almost BIGGER than the Stealth Sneak Golem they fought weeks ago! The left half of its face was scarred with the eye blinded by its injuries. On the bear's back rested broken spears and arrows, stuck in the flesh. Its claws were massive, and it's mouth hung open with the desire of eating its prey instantly!

"W-WHAT KINDA BEAR IS THAT THING?!" Goofy asked. Donald replied, "STOP ASKING QUESTIONS AND MOVE!"

(_**GRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR**_)

End of Chapter 113

* * *

**Next Chapter: Donald and Goofy try to outrun a demon bear...**

**Please Comment!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Last time, Donald reluctantly followed Kairi's directions and headed into the Baschool Mines along with Goofy, hoping to find a quicker way back to Central City and meet with the Elric Brothers and think of a plan to save Sora.**

**Through the Gunslinger's instructions, the Genome Duo had to walk through the mines for two days without ANY light, they could only find their way through by listening for water, dripping through the path.**

**After all the rest-stops and food supplies, things seemed to look up for Donald and Goofy...**

**...until a sudden trap summons an enormous demonic bear! The monster was eager to have his new guests for dinner, so the duo made haste and ran for their god-given lives!**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 114: Mor'du

On the Bleeding Continent, through the valley of the Dead Village and inside the castle of Crimson, the Phantom Blott rushed through the halls, up the stairs, and into the Golem King's bedroom to yell, "_**MY LORD, NEWS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION, AND I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AN AUDIENCE WITH OUR VENGEFUL KING TO ANNOUNCE THIS TROUBLING ACCUISITION!**_"

"Try reciting that in English 'Doc'!" Crimson said while drying off in the bathroom.

The Phantom sighed and repeated his words differently, "…alright, (ahem), you remember Operation: Stiff?" Crimson then asked, "You mean that plan where we place random Transmutation Circles in Amestris to freeze Homunculus soldiers and summon an otherworldly force of destruction to destroy or eat them where they stand? I completely forgot about that plan! Did you just activate them?" The Phantom Blott replied, "Actually sir, they were never 'off' to begin with. They were always operational, and it would seem a non-Homunculus has accidentally activated it."

"_W-WHAT?! DAMN IT ALL BLOTT!_"

Crimson burst through the door with only his mask and bathrobe on and asked, "How did this happen, who activated it?" The Blott answered, "Well sire, I believe the talking feather duster and the dog are to blame. You know the ones sire, they travel most of the time with the Keyblade Master-." Crimson then said, "Wait, the Genomes?! They tripped one of my circles?! Well what came out?" The Blott answered, "I think it would be best if I showed you first hand."

The Phantom then summoned one of Crimson's mirror shards and gave it to Crimson, who used it to peer through and see into the Baschool Mines, where Donald and Goofy rushed through the dark mines while trying to outrun a massive bear-like monster…

"Hey 'Phanny', is that a bear?" Crimson asked. The Phantom Blott replied, "Not just ANY bear my lord…it's _**him**_, our old acquaintance from the Scottish Highlands." Crimson rubbed his finger on his chin and thought about what the Blott said, and said, "The Highlands…it's been years since I ventured there…and the last time I went there, I assisted a stubborn and power-mad brother with forming and army-!" Crimson stopped for a while, then said, "The army he demolished after drinking a witch's brew that turned him into a 'family-sized' demon, an immortal black bear! I remember now…**Mor'du**."

Back in the Baschool Mines, Donald and Goofy continued running while being pursued by the hungry bear!

"D-Donald, I can't keep up!" Goofy said. Donald yelled, "YES YOU CAN GOOFY! JUST KEEP RUNNING AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"

(_**GRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR**_)

The duo kept running, but the demon bear was getting closer!

(_SWIPE_)

(_**BAT-ANG**_)

"Goofy cried out, "MY SHIELD!" Donald then said, "It's only a shield Goofy, we can always get another one-!"

(_SWIPE_)

Mor'du began reaching out to the Genomes with his gigantic claws, and with every swipe, he was getting closer, and closer!

Back in his castle, Crimson was watching the terror with much amusement while looking for his clothes and listening to 'Devil Inside' by Utada Hikaru. As he watched, he said, "This is just too much! (giggle) I can watch this all day, it's like watching nature get a little payback!" Crimson then went to change behind his folding screen…

After a few minutes, Crimson came out fully clothed and ready for another day of anarchy. "Now let's see how our furry friend is doing." Crimson said as he looked back at his magic mirror shard. Crimson then said, "Looks like he's resorted to making _fast food_ out of '_**Fast Food**_'! _Heh-heh- __**HAHAHAHAHAHA-HAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_"

(CHOMP)

"**DUCK GOOFY!**"

The duo continued running until Donald decided to do something reckless…

"I'll hold it off; you just keep running and follow the sound of dripping water!"

Goofy then said, "Are you crazy?! We came to this continent to find Mickey, and we'll find him together-!" Donald pushed Goofy away and yelled, "_**GO!**_" Goofy's eyes filled with tears, wishing he could say something to talk Donald into coming with him, but he could only obey his friend and run through the Baschool Mines…

Donald then turned around and faced Mor'du as he rushed towards him with his mouth drooling with hunger. Donald then took the chance and used his staff to summon a ball of bright electrical force!

"I hope this thing still works…_**THUNDER!**_"

Donald then released the electric attack upon the demon bear! The beast roared in pain, but the shock was nothing to the demon, so as the electricity inflicted it's pain on him, Mor'du swatted Donald away!

(BASH)

Donald fell to the ground, but he wasn't beaten yet! "_**THUNDER-THUNDER-THUNDER!**_"

Bolts of lightning tore through Mor'du, halting him and giving Donald more time to unleash a fire spell, which lit the wood stuck to the bear's back, providing Donald with light.

(_**GRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR**_)

Mor'du tried to ram Donald, but the duck successfully dodged the attack!

(BRA-KOOM)

The fire on Mor'du's back then revealed a few TNT barrels around the chamber. Donald then hatched a plan, "Maybe I can inflict more damage on that thing by having him ram into some nearby TNT barrels…then I can unleash a Fire Spell to ignite them!"

Meanwhile, Goofy was running out of breath, all the while regretting leaving Donald behind. Suddenly, something shined in Goofy's eyes…daylight!

"The…the exit…I made…it…"

Goofy walked through the exit, but immediately collapsed through exhaustion. He struggled to get up, but his legs wouldn't move after all that running. Goofy cried out, "N-NO, I WON'T-I CAN'T LEAVE HIM! I-I must…must go back!"

"Hm? Well, would you look at that, a talking dog; this country has a lot of surprises, doesn't it?"

"He seems to be running low on chi, don't dawdle here master, we should keep going if we're to find _**the stone.**_"

Goofy then asked, "…stone…ya mean…_**Philosopher Stone?**_" The strange group of people looked at Goofy with curiosity as to how he knew their goal. The leader looked at the hooded person next to him and said, "Help him." The figure nodded and sat before Goofy, the figure then gave him two Potions. Goofy felt his strength return, so he looked at the figure and the other two and said, "Th-thank you."

The leader then said, "Naw, its cool '_dawg_'. So, you know about the Philosopher Stone?" Goofy replied, "I do…I'm sorry, but there's a friend of mine inside!" The elder figure then said, "This 'friend' wouldn't be your excuse for leaving would he?"

(KA-BOOOOOOM)

(loud quacking noises)

"He's the best I could come up with since he's in trouble!" Goofy said as he ran back into the mines!

Inside the dark chamber, Donald was holding his own against the demon bear Mor'du, but to his shock, the TNT wasn't close to damaging him externally! Donald then tried to use another bolt of Thunder, but to his shock, his magic was nearly depleted!

(_**GRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR**_)

Mor'du then rushed towards Donald and swatted him away!

(CRASH)

Donald tried to get up, but this time, he wasn't in any shape to retaliate. Donald exhausted all the energy he had and had nothing more to throw at the bear, no magic and no plan. Donald fell unconscious, and Mor'du was finally going to have his meal…

(SHINKT-SHINKT)

Suddenly, a foray of daggers came at the bear, stopping him before he could eat the duck! Then to his surprise, a ninja-like warrior came and kicked Mor'du away!

As the demon bear rolled away, Goofy ran to Donald and carried him out! Goofy then said, "Alright fellers, I got him!" The leader then commanded, "OK, burry that thing!" The elder warrior and the ninja took out a few small bombs and threw them at Mor'du, who started getting back on his legs! The bear was about to chase after Donald and his saviors, but before anything could happen, the bombs went off!

(_**KRA-KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM**_)

(_**KRA-KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM**_)

Goofy, Donald, and the trio of strangers managed to escape the mines in time to hear the bombs detonate and blow a large portion of the mines up!

"G-Goofy?" Donald started to wake up and saw the face of his dear friend, who hugged Donald and said, "I'M SO GLAD DONALD! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ALRIGHT!" Goofy hugged him SO tightly, that Donald almost felt his eyes pop out! Donald then said, "Th-that's great Goofy…g-great indeed…_NOW PUT ME DOWN!_"

The leader then approached Goofy and said, "Well despite that little unnecessary event, I'd say things worked out alright in the end!" The elder then said, "Well we're happy you had your fun my lord. Now then, shall we continue?" The leader nodded and headed off, but not before the ninja gave Donald a Potion. Donald drank it, but he strangely started feeling more energetic, so he asked, "WOW, I feel grat! What kind of Potion is this?!"

The ninja replied, "its purified water from Xing called the Elixir." Donald was amazed by the drink's rejuvenating power, but he and Goofy suddenly realized something…

"Gwarsh…he sounded almost like…a 'she'!"

"Hey, hurry up, we don't wanna leave you behind!" The leader called, so the ninja bowed to Donald and Goofy and rushed over to her master. The leader then looked at the Genomes and said, "You guys know how to show an illegal alien a good time! I hope we meet again soon!" Goofy then asked, "In case we do meet, and ya wanna know more about the stone, can you tell us who you are?"

"W-wait a minute, Goofy, what did you-?!" Before Donald could finish, Goofy said, "I'm Goofy, and this here's my buddy, Donald Duck!" The leader then took off his hood and revealed his face. It was a teenage boy with black hair, thin eyes, and a pleasant smile. The leader then said, "I'm honored to know you two, **the name's **_**Ling Yao**_**, and I plan on becoming the next emperor of **_**Xing!**_"

The Genomes waved 'good-by' to Ling and his group, and after that, Donald said, "Well Goofy, whaddya say we go looking for the nearest fast-food joint and enjoy a good meal before heading over to Central?" Goofy replied, "Ya got it pal! Hopefully the Elrics will be available to help us find Sora."

As the Genomes walked away, Crimson turned his magic mirror off and reached into his drawers for a note pad. On the note pad cover was written 'Handy Tips to Self', and after flipping through a few notes, he wrote the following…

"_Beware; ANYBODY can activate the Stiff Circles. Those without any Homunculus traits will be immune to the effects and have a chance to fight back."_

"(sigh) I hate my brain…the plan seemed clever, but like God, it gives me the finger and spits all over my hopes and dreams. (ahem) Anyway, I'd better send 'Winnie the Pooh' back to his 'hundred acres of wood' of a crap-hole before I forget." Crimson then dropped the pad onto his bed and headed out to send what's left of the demon bear home…

On the next day, Edward and Alphonse walked through Traverse Town to check up on Sheska, who promised them that she would have recreated ALL of Marcoh's notes by the third day…

But when Sheska invited the brothers into her home, she surprised them with a large amount of papers stapled and/or bound together! "Alright Ed, as you can see, it's all here! As you can see, it was a long book, so it took me (as I said earlier) three whole days to get it all done in paper!" Sheska said while the Elrics looked at all her amazing work.

"And this…this entire pile of books is Marcoh's research? Are you sure?" Edward asked. Sheska smiled and happily explained, "YUP! Details, step-by-step instructions for everything like appetizers to delectable desserts! It's Tim Marcoh's _1,000 Recipes for making Magic in the Kitchen _(cute giggle)!"

"_**SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!**_"

End of Chapter 114

* * *

**Next Chapter: The Elrics examine Sheska's work while Sora awakens in a prison...**

**Please Comment!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Last time, Donald & Goofy accidentally triggered one of many Transmutations called Stiff Circles which Crimson created to booby-trap anyone who steps in them (namely the Homunculi)! Out of the recent circle came the demon bear, Mor'du! The monster was dead-set on plowing through his preys until the Genomes were rescued and assisted by three foreigners. After defeating the demon bear, the leader revealed his identity...a Xingese prince named Ling Yao, determined in becoming the next emperor!**

**Back in Central, Edward and Alphonse waited through the 3 days, and as promised, Sheska had finished making a copy of Tim Marcoh's notes! But the notes Sheska translated were NOT notes...but an entire cook book called ****_1,000 Recipes for making Magic in the_ Kitchen, written by Marcoh himself! **

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 115: Escape From…

"Ugh…I feel like a cat having its Monday." Sora said as he regained consciousness.

As he opened his eyes, he saw himself lying on a bench while being stuck in a prison cell. He then stood up and headed for the cell door; he then looked around and saw a few more cells nearby. Sora then rubbed his head and wondered, "I'm not having one of my usual nightmares, so where am I?" He then tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Locked, huh?" Sora then peeked outside his cell to look for a key…but to his annoyance, there wasn't a key in sight.

"I guess whoever brought me here wants me here. Without a key, I'm as good as boxed." Sora sat back down on the bench and tried to think of a plan of escape…

"It's not every day you have a chance as ripe as this to use your Keyblade, is it?"

Sora jumped off the bench and asked, "Who's there, is that you Crimson?!" Crimson replied, "Why of course it is my pinewood-headed pal? Who else would look after No. 1 other than your 'Fairy Godfather'?" Sora then asked, "…Kairi…she was the bait that lured me here…straight to you, her master!"

"(e-e-e) WRONG, I hate that minx remember?"

Crimson continued explaining, "Kairi was the one that brought you here, but she didn't know I'd be watching from the shadows. She is acting under the accord of your true enemy. Remember in Wonderland, when I spoke to you about the 'true' enemy?" Sora replied, "Yeah, I also remember you kidnapping a helpless girl! What have you done to Alice anyway?!" Crimson responded, "What have I 'done' to her, you ask? Let's just say she's pouring all her 'heart' into my plans. We've actually become close friends. But enough of 'blondes and husks', you want to get out to save your randomly-placed friends, right?"

Sora nodded, "…yeah, so why are you here, to 'help' like last time? Like when after you captured Alice, you allowed a traitor of the military to cause chaos and nearly freeze over Central City! Oh wait, what about the time you tried turning Edward into a Golem, and turned him against me-?!"

Crimson then added, "-_You unlocked __**MORE**__ Sora!_ My unfortunate 'partner' and my puppets were essential in unlocking the Magic Sword, as well as your ability to enter a person's heart and save them within! You now have the power to exorcise evil spirits inside AND outside the human body for God's sake! You see me as some 'villain', but think about it logically, who taught you how to use these abilities? Not 'Mama's Boys', that's for sure! I was there for you boy, I was there to alert you in Xenotime of your friend's imminent danger, I was there to offer you a way of tracking down the blonde's kidnapper in East City, and I was even there in Wonderland to give you advice instead of working on my plans! I have a busy schedule, and I neglected it for you, and you don't even bother to thank me! Children like you need to remember something important, when the cavalry arrives, THANK'EM!"

Sora became annoyed, so he asked, "…putting aside the argument, didn't you say you knew a way out?"

Crimson paused for a while before saying, "I did, didn't I? No, I just said you could use your Keyblade, especially when inside a locked cell." Sora then asked, "What are you talking about?" Crimson explained, "You may have heard of the saying, 'if there's a key, then there must be a door', right? The key to your cell is being held by your kidnappers, so you'll have to use another key to get out…Specifically, the key that purifies the worlds."

"You CAN'T mean the Keyblade!" Sora said, Crimson then said, "I do! Despite its size, the Keyblade has a helpful knack of unlocking any lock, whether on a door, a window, or even a gate, the Keyblade has the power to set you free. Just point and shoot, and there you have it, the cell door swings open!"

Sora points his Avenger at the cell door and waits for something to happen…

(SHING)

A bolt of light suddenly shot out of the blade and into the lock!

(CLICK)

And to Sora's surprise, the cell door opened!

Sora then said, "Now the only thing I need to worry about is where to go. Hmm…that's the only door in this hallway…" Sora then headed for the door while Crimson pouted, "HMPH, not even a 'thank you?! Little turd!"

Sora opened the door and walked through; never knowing what awaited him…

Something grabbed Sora by the leg, so the boy darted back to see what grabbed him! The thing Sora saw, was one of many hideous monsters being kept in cages!

The creature groaned in hunger and reached out to Sora. Sora then decided to help it and grab the nearest bag of food and bring it over to the helpless monster. "Here you go fella. This should make your stomach feel better." The creature grabbed the bag and started eating like crazy. Sora then made his way through the cages and towards the door.

As soon as Sora left the room, he found himself in another room full of chimeras in cages. He walked past them, wondering how they came to be, and why they were stuck in this dark place. Sora then came to the door and went through it…

"How many doors does it take to find the exit?" Sora wondered. As he examined the room, he found himself in another 'zoo' for chimeras. Each one he passed was even hungrier than the last. Sora then said, "I guess the person who made these things made them for study and not as household pets. Right now though, I could care less about my 'host'. I gotta get out before Kairi and her partners show up!"

"Nope, it's just me."

Sora turned around and saw Kairi standing before him!

Sora crossed his arms and said, "Well-well, the liar's here." Kairi then said, "I had nothing to lie about, I was honest and loyal to you." Sora then asked, "If that's so, then who knocked me out earlier 'friend'?! Who're you working for?!" Kairi answered, "I…I can't tell you-." Sora then said, "Then I guess your friendship was never true! In East City, you had me at gunpoint and tried to kidnap me, then you sneak in my room to convince me not to trust Ed and Al, and then you lied to me about your unnatural luck when you were shot by Grand's cannons! You lied to get me to follow you, you lied about my friends, and you even lied about who you really are! You've been lying ever since, and every time you lie, we get even closer to the guillotine! You're nothing more than a manipulative, secretive, backstabbing Homunculus!"

Kairi couldn't hold back anymore, she looked into Sora's eyes, walked towards him, and said, "You're such a bastard…heartless…insensitive…I had nothing but you to keep me going, and you trip me at the finish line! I 'lied' to you to keep you from danger, from the ones who brought me back from the dead! I could give in you know, to all that anger, and just end you for what you did to me…but I remembered the shell…the shell you gave me when we were children!"

Kairi finally came to a stop, right in front of Sora, who started to get nervous by Kairi, who was inches away from grabbing him by the throat. However, Kairi grasped her necklace instead and said, "You can see the shell, can't you? This shell attached to this necklace is proof of my dedication to you and our friendship."

(creek)

"Believe me when I say this Sora, I'm willing to do anything to preserve that friendship…even if it means my life over yours."

Suddenly, Kairi shoved Sora out of the room and closed the door!

Sora turned around and was surprised to find himself inside the sewers!

Back inside the third chimera room, Kairi stared at the door, wanting to leave with Sora…but she couldn't move. She was stiff, unable to leave, so she turned away and hoped her friend would be safe…

(_**RRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR**_)

Kairi suddenly stopped when she heard the noise of hundreds of beasts from the other room!

"You think he's safe just because you released him?" Envy asked after he came through the door. Kairi sweated in fear, prompting Envy to say, "He knows about us,** he will **_**NEVER**_** be safe.**" Envy then swung the door open and released every chimera in the previous rooms!

Back in the sewers, Sora walked through while wondering where he was. He then said, "As soon as I find a way out of this smelly place, I might get some answers to where I am!"

Suddenly, Sora heard the sound of water splashing through the sewer, then the smell in the air started to change into something relative to a living creature…the Keybearer could tell at that moment, he wasn't alone…

"Did Kairi…release those things I saw earlier?" Sora shook off the thought, summoned his Avenger, and continued through the sewer…

Back in Central City, Ross examined Sheska's copy of Marcoh's cookbook and said, "One tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, (sigh) nothing too magical about this recipe." Block then looked at Sheska and asked, "You think maybe you got the wrong author?" Sheska answered, "NO A CHANCE! I've reproduced every word Dr. Marcoh's made in those journals!"

Ross turned to Ed and said, "Sorry Fullmetal, it seems like this was all for nothing-." Ed then said, "I don't know. So Sheska, are you sure that this was all written word-for-word from what Dr. Marcoh wrote?" Sheska replied, "Y-yes sir, no doubt about it!" Ed smiled and said, "…Sheska, you really are an amazing talent. Lieutenant, make sure she's properly compensated." Ed then gave a small piece of paper to Ross and explained, "You'll see a figure there, go to the State Alchemist Treasury and let them take that amount out of my research budget. Al, come on!" As Ed left, Al followed, "I'm right behind you!"

"_BUT I'M SECURITY!_" Ross said. However, the Elric brothers were already gone, forcing her to chase after them and let Block take care of paying Sheska. Block wondered, "I don't get it, what does he expect to do with a cook book?" Sheska guessed, "Bake a cake?"

Block and Sheska then looked at the payment Ed wrote out for her…

"_**THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY!**_" Sheska said.

In the streets of Traverse Town, Ed said, "We're close Al, REALLY close! Sora's not gonna believe what he missed!" Al then said, "Which reminds me brother, when do you think he'll be back?" Ed answered, "Ya got me. He's probably taking his sweet time with the flower girl!" Al then said, "You mean Aeris? But I thought YOU were the one with a crush on her."

"(**DERK!**)"

"HOLD IT FULLMETAL, STOP!"

Ed and Al then noticed Ross rushing towards them. When she caught up with them, she asked, "Sir, where do you think you're going?" Edward replied, "We're gonna hold up in the Central Library's Main Building for now. After all, they got the best sort of research for this kind of work." Ross then said, "No way, a library was Scar's last mark and he's still on the loose! It's impossible for us to protect you in that venue!"

Ed then said, "Figuring out how to do your job right is YOUR problem Ross! You can play 'Sora' all you want, but it doesn't change the fact that getting the Philosopher Stone is my problem, NOT YOURS, mine, got that?!" Ed immediately passed by Ross, leaving the lieutenant to wonder, "How did his old bodyguard put up with him?" Al replied, "Sora doesn't exactly put up with him, and honestly, I doubt he ever will. Sora does what he thinks is right, which can at times put him at odds with Ed, but deep down, even if Ed denies it, there's no one my brother would rather have as a bodyguard…or rather no one he'd rather have as his best friend."

Back in the sewers, Sora said, "…I wonder how Ed and Al are doing with the burned library. Hopefully they found Marcoh's secret notes and became human already. I may not be around, but those two deserve a happy ending after all the crap we went through to find the stone. I would've been there but NO, Kairi and her 'secret club' had me taken to a random sewer filled with rats!"

(squee-squee)

Suddenly, Sora noticed a few rats running away in fear…

(SPLASH…SPLASH…)

"It looks like they caught up." Sora said. He then took out his Keyblade and prepared for what was coming…

In the darkness, several eyes appeared, hungry and eager to hunt Sora. Some of the chimeras came into the light and creeped closer and closer, drooling with hunger and hissing, growling, and snorting at the Keybearer…

"…I think I'm starting to miss the rats."

End of Chapter 115

* * *

**Next Chapter: Sora faces a legend while the Elrics face a new kind of threat...Lieutenant Ross!**

**Please Comment!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Last time, Sora was captured by the Homunculi, but thanks to some unexpected assistance from Crimson and Kairi, Sora was able to break out of the holding cell, but not before Envy unleashed a horde of Chimeras after him!**

**Back in Central City, Edward took the remade copy of Marcoh's notes (in the form of a cook book) and proceeded to the Main Branch Library, hoping to solve whatever clues might be hidden in the book. However, Sora's substitute, Maria Ross, feared for Edward's life, knowing that a threat similar to Scar would attack them at any minute. Edward ignored her warning and left the Lieutenant infuriated...**

**Back in the sewers, Sora wandered through while trying to find an exit, but to his surprise, the Chimeras arrived and were eager to sink their teeth into the Keyblade Master...**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 116: Recruiting the Gifted

Inside the sewers, a massive creature was approaching Sora, but it's form was still cloaked in darkness, so all the Keybearer could do is wait for his opponent to step into the light…

(_**BRA-KOOM**_)

The creature's appearance was shown…and it terrified Sora…

"…no way…"

Back at Central City's main library, Edward and Alphonse spread all they have of Marcoh's cookbook on a table. Ed smiled and said, "So these are Marcoh's notes…on the surface, they appear to be pages of an ordinary cookbook." Al then asked, "Do you really think the secrets of the Philosopher Stone are in here?" Ed replied, "It does make sense; Marcoh didn't want just anyone to read it, so he wrote it in code! As for the cookbook disguise, you know what they say, 'alchemy was born in the kitchen!' So now all we have to do is break the code of this 'secret language' of his, NO SWEAT!"

Hours passed as the Fullmetal studied and researched the hidden code inside the notes. He sought the 'truth behind truths' in every book in the library to find the answers, and as the brother's clues grew, so did the mess around them. Books and pages were scattered around them as they continued reading and cracking the codes…

As the Elric Brothers studied, Maria Ross watched them, both wondering about their intentions and keeping them safe from any threat. The same couldn't be said about her partner, Denny Block, who was fast asleep as the hours went by…

By night, the Elrics were tuckered out from all the reading they did. Edward rested his head and said, "(sigh) So much for that whole 'no sweat' business! Get a marker and make some columns, THAT WAS THE PLAN, but we're STILL not close to finished!" Al then said, "It would be a whole lot faster if you just ask Marcoh!" Ed got up from the table and said, "…we're trying to keep the military out of the loop here Al, and Marcoh's in the fuhrer's custody now. We're on our own." Ed then goes back to reading a few more pages until…

"HOWDY-HO NEIGHBOR ED!"

Ed and Al were startled by Hughes's arrival, so Hughes asked, "So, how are you doing boys?" Ed greeted his friend, "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, what's the matter, were you too busy to say hello?" Hughes explained, "It's the clean-up job me and the others had to do! Ever since Isaac left the city in shambles it's been our responsibility to clean up the mess. Those damn careless Liberator hoodlums wouldn't know responsibility if it bit'em in the keester! So enough about donkey-nicknames, I was wondering if you boys have heard anything about Sora lately?"

Ed and Al shook their heads, then Ed said, "Nothing yet, he's taking his sweet time there. He probably prefers to be a rebel like them. Either that or he's gotten himself kidnapped again." Al then said, "Don't say that brother, he's our friend! He's too honorable to leave us!" Hughes then said, "Calm down guys, Sora's probably gotten hold up in a delay. The train can make a mistake sometimes." Ed then said, "Whatever, I don't care." Al then said, "Nobody said you did."

"_**SHUT UP AL, I DON'T CARE ABOUT HIM ONE BIT!**_"

While the Elrics and Hughes chatted with one another, Block then said, "Wow, those two are pretty chummy with the Lieutenant Colonel, huh?" Maria replied, "Yeah, but still…" Block then asked, "What is it?"

Ross then walked right into the room and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, if there were to be an attack here, then we can't guarantee the safety of these two! They should return to the Command Center immediately!" Ed argued, "_HEY, I TOLD YOU, DIDN'T I ROSS?! DON'T GET IN OUR WAY!_" Ross however ignored Ed's outburst and said, "Lieutenant Colonel, as long as Scar remains at large, the security of State Alchemists is a top priority!"

Hughes sighed and said, "Sorry Ed, but Lieutenant Ross does have a point…but then again, this really isn't my jurisdiction. Why don't you take it up with Major Armstrong?"

"_**NO!**_" Ed and Ross yelled.

"Well, the major was Sora's first replacement, so if you boys want a change of bodyguards, then hiring him is the only way." Hughes said. Al then said, "I think waiting for Sora is sufficient enough." Ed then said, "Lieutenant Colonel, we're near this one, I can feel it! I'm begging you; please let us continue working here!"

Hughes crossed his arms and said, "Well, what I'd 'like' is to give you more protection Ed, but let's face it, Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Block are Sora's only willing substitutes. Looking for others is…unethical. Besides, I've got 'Scar hunting' to do, and I have to try and recover the case files in whatever's left of that burnt library. No doubt those documents were destroyed in the fire. So as of now, all my men are completely tied up right now."

Ed then asked, "Wait, you mean all your case files were lost in the first branch to?" Hughes nodded, "Yeah, everyday lawbreakers were listed there, not to mention crime suspects, known victims, evidence, the whole lot of them, gone in a whole night." Ed started thinking, and then at that moment, he had an idea…

"…You're in luck Hughes, I have just the solution."

Minutes later…

Ed, Al, Hughes, Ross and Block arrived at Sheska's house, where the book worm (sorry Sheska) was still reading her countless collection. Edward knocked on the door, interrupting her and getting her to open the door, and when she opened it, she was shocked and screamed, "_I KNEW IT, I DELVED INTO SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T HAVE! I'M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY! __**PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY BOOKS AWAY AND FEED THEM TO THE UNDERGROUND TROLLS!**_"

"Uh, underground trolls?" Ed asked. Sheska explained, "Don't try to hide it, I theorized the existence of trolls a long time ago and have cracked the case with clues! The trolls have been living beneath us, scheming to take over the world and are even going to such lengths to use the military to keep us under their control!" Ed then said, "**QUIT YOUR CONSPIRACIES AND LISTEN!** We're not here to feed you or your books to any trolls, hobgoblins, or even super-cows!"

"Brother, we talked about the super-cows!"

"_**THEY'RE REAL DAMN-IT!**_"

Sheska calmed down and asked, "So…I'm not in trouble?" Hughes answered, "No miss, I was brought here by the Elrics to meet with you." Sheska shyly touched her fingers and said, "Um, OK, but still, I knew I wasn't supposed to look inside those military records. You see, I ran out of books to read so I couldn't help myself. I thought I should explain myself since an officer of the law was here, I'm really sorry-."

Ed smiled and said, "Sheska, it's alright, we're actually here to give you a job!"

"…_**ME?! REALLY?!**_"

Ed nodded and said, "Yup, your ability to memorize and keep loads of information made my day, so I asked the Lieutenant Colonel to meet with you for the chance of joining the military, helping around and getting the payments you need!" Hughes then said, "He spoke very highly of you Sheska. If you could do what Ed said you could, then you could certainly be of some help to us." Ed then said, "She can do it sir, trust me! So what do you say, does she have the job?"

Sheska then said, "B-but why would you even want my help? I'm weird, what I do, it's just not natural." Al then said, "It's not a crime to be gifted Sheska, it's a privilege, and you've earned it through hard work and experience. Brother and I have met many people who 'weren't natural', but they were still amazing people. Our bodyguard, Sora, can use the sword with ease and fight like a true warrior. There was also a girl named Kairi who isn't limited to gravity, she can actually reach rooftops with a single jump. Don't sell yourself short Sheska, the world needs people like you who really care about something and work hard at it."

Sheska then asked, "…honestly…you think a weirdo like me whose only skill is reading might be able to work for the military?" Al replied, "Yes I do. You have a gift Sheska, you should own it, be proud of yourself." Sheska blushed a bit, then looked at Alphonse and said, "…thanks Al."

Sheska turned to Hughes and Ed and said, "Alright, I'll take the job if you want me to. Thank you for your consideration." Hughes then said, "Sure, you're hired, and now that that's settled, let's get to work! But you should know I pay better than Ed." Sheska bowed, "Th-thank you SO much!"

After that, the Elrics, Hughes and the bodyguards left the house, but not before the Lieutenant Colonel said, "You won again Ed, thanks to you, now I can get more guards to cover the security around the library." Ed giggled, "Gee, you make it sound like I was planning that the whole time." Hughes sighed, "Yeah right, well you boys better be going, have a safe trip back to the library."

The Elrics walked off with Block following after them…

However, Ross couldn't just walk away after what happened. She turned to Hughes, who asked, "Hey Ross, why aren't you going after them?" Maria replied, "…sir…this is crazy! The boys are putting themselves in danger and I'm afraid what they're doing will only-!"

"-Lieutenant Ross, just calm down, I know what you're trying to say."

Ross stopped for a second and listened to her commanding officer, who said the following, "I know those boys, and I know for a fact that they're going to follow through with their goals, regardless of what we try to say, all that we can do is protect them as best as we can, I expect your cooperation."

Ross couldn't let it slide, she then protested, "…I can't just let you give them a free ticket. Sir, encouraging them to continue despite all the danger, I couldn't allow myself to do something so careless. With all due respect sir, they're only children!" Hughes smiled kindly and said, "There's more going on here than you understand. Those two have the ability to find something we can't. This state is in their hands, and it's up to us adults to help them with that. Someday, when you have kids, you'll understand."

Hughes walked home, leaving the Lieutenant to think about what he said…

(R-RUMBLE)

Suddenly, the ground shook beneath her! Ross then realized, "The boys…this can't be a coincidence, could it?!" With that, Maria Ross ran back to the library!

In the streets of Traverse Town, Ed, Al and Block were heading back to the library while in a conversation. Block then said, "-And THAT'S how we took down the Opposite Armor! Pretty crazy huh?" Ed replied, "More like Sora's kind of 'crazy'! He should've waited for us-!" Al then said, "But brother, we were chasing Isaac. We couldn't go back to help him." Ed then said, "Well still, it was his own fault for doing something stupid like that. I mean his only help was these two-! –where's the Lieutenant?"

Block and Al looked around and noticed she wasn't around…

"Lieutenant Ross? Lieutenant Ross, where are you?" Block called. Al wondered, "This isn't like her, did she have something to say to Hughes or Sheska?" Ed replied, "She probably has a bone to pick at Hughes for sticking up for us. DAMN, sometimes that lady can be such a-!"

(R-RUMBLE)

"Y'know Block, if you were hungry, we could stop by a burger joint-." Ed said before Block said, "Th-that wasn't me sir…it came from under us."

(_**RRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR**_)

A monstrous roar was heard throughout the city, shocking Ed, Al, and Block!

"EDWARD!"

Ed then noticed Maria catching up to them and asked, "Lieutenant, what's with the earthquake? Don't tell me the zoo transferred under us!" Ross then said, "Whatever the reason, we have to leave here before whatever this thing is attacks from beneath us-!"

(_**KRA-KA-THOOOOOOOOOM**_)

To the group's surprise, a massive chunk of the road was blown from underneath! And then, Al noticed something falling, "B-BROTHER, IT'S SORA!"

Sora fell from the impact of the attack, so Ed and Al tried to catch him…luckily, they caught their friend, who was beaten and bruised! Ed tried to wake Sora up, "Hey, Sora can you hear me?! ANSWER ME PALMTREE-HEAD!" Sora started to regain consciousness and saw the Elrics, "Ed-…ward…and Al?" Al nodded, "Yes Sora, you're back in Central!" Ed then asked, "The real question is 'how'?" Sora tried to answer, "I-…I was…Kairi…captured…"

"KAIRI?!" The Elric brothers were startled by what Sora said, but before any more questions came out, another part of the street blew up! But what came out alerted Sora, "Ed, Al, we have to run, they're real! THE BEHEMOTH IS REAL!" Ed was frightened by Sora's warning, "Did…you just say…Behemoth?"

Then the Elrics, Ross and Block turned around to see the beast Sora was fighting…

"It exists…it actually exists…the Behemoth!"

(_**RRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR**_)

End of Chapter 116

* * *

**Next Chapter: The Behemoth attacks!**

**Please Comment!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Last time, the Elric Brothers were hard at work trying to discover the hidden clues Marcoh left inside his cook book. Eventually, they were greeted by Hughes, who was approached by Ross, who felt like the Elrics were endangering their lives by staying in an insecure building like the Main Branch Library. Knowing that Scar could strike at any minute, the Lieutenant asked Hughes if they could be moved to Central Command. Edward refused and begged to continue, but Hughes' hands were tied. He couldn't spare anymore protection since he needed assistance with recovering whatever case files were left from the burned library. That was when Edward had an idea...**

**Sheska, the bookworm with a talent for memorizing a stock of literature, was given a job to rewrite everything lost in the fire! However, Ross still felt like the boys were getting in hot water, but before she could say anything, Hughes said that it was their job as adults to help the Elrics.**

**Suddenly, the ground beneath them split, and Sora came out of the wreckage while fighting a creature believed to be a myth...**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 117: The Meteor's Spawn

Before the group stood an enormous, muscular hound/feline/bear-like monster with blackish-blue skin, red glowing eyes, black claws of the sharpest kind, teeth relative to a shark and lion, large dark-brown horns on his head and on the back of his jaw, long blackish-red hair from his back to his forehead, red thorny fins on his back, and a long and massively large tail strong enough to slice through ten men. This very creature was known by those who read about his power and malice and lived to tell the tale.

"It can't be…a real Behemoth, standing in front of us?! It's impossible…even for alchemy to re-create it! IT HAS TO BE A FAKE!" Edward said as he trembled.

To the group's shock, a transmutation circle shined on the Behemoth's forehead! Sora yelled, "IT'S USING MAELSTROM!"

(CRAK-A-KOOM)

Out of the beast's forehead shot a strong force of wind and black lightning! The force of the attack tore through everything it touched, including the street and buildings! Sora, the Elrics, Ross and Block were blown away by the wind's power, forcing them to collide with building walls!

As the group tried to stand, the Behemoth rushed towards them and tried to tear them apart with his teeth, luckily, Alphonse stopped it by grabbing his face and punching one of his eyes! Al then said, "I guess lacking the feel of the attack gave me a quicker recovery." Ed then said, "This isn't the time to act like a smart ass Al, we need to get Sora to a hospital before the Behemoth chews him up and spits him out!"

"Sir, just wondering but, what's a Behemoth?" Block asked. Ed replied, "…it's the first creature on our planet to use alchemy. It's composure and DNA, we've never seen anything like it, yet it exists. And if you're wondering how alchemy can make this thing, then let me give you the heads-up… it's NOT a chimera. It's a natural creature, one of the first myths, monsters, and legends to appear. Stories and rumors about it were all the same, a meteor from space plummeted to Shamballa and consumed a large portion of the landscape. The crater devastated a village, and in it's place were what the people described as monsters, purple monsters immune to pain, weapons, and the elements themselves. These monsters RULED the elements, as if they made them from scratch! No one ever encountered anything like them in years, and if they did, only one or two would be lucky enough to tell their side of the story. By what I've heard, Behemoths were believed to be long gone, like the dodo. But seeing one today…this confirms it, the Behemoths never left!"

(_**RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR**_)

The Behemoth regained his sight and swatted Alphonse away!

"_**ALPHONSE!**_"

Al stood back up, but the Behemoth was annoyed by the metal child's interference, so he pushed Al against a wall with his enormous bear-like claw and summoned another Transmutation Circle!

Suddenly, the Keyblade batted the Behemoth away!

Sora was standing before Al and said, "Just because I was kicked around by 'soccer-mamma' doesn't mean I'm out of the game!" He then offered his hand to help Al up, so Al reached out and allowed his friend to pull him back up. Al then asked, "Sora, how come you're still walking? The Behemoth's strength should've weakened you." Sora answered, "What can I say; I have great reflexes, a dagger with boomerang qualities, and quick healing!"

"That's not something I'd praise during an encounter with your executioner. I'd be as mortal as the next pride-felt pedestrian foolish enough to take on a mystical creature."

To the group's surprise, Crimson was lying down comfortably on a building while taking notes with an inked quill on a long roll of paper. The Golem King then asked, "Hey, you guys have any Burgundy?"

"_**HOW MUCH WINE DOES THIS BRAT DRINK?!**_" Ed yelled.

"_**NOT THE DRINK YOU HOBBIT, I MEANT THE PAINT COLOR!**_" Crimson explained.

"_**W-WAS THAT A SHORT JOKE?!**_"

"_**HE KNOWS A HOBBIT, IT'S A (insert current holiday name here) MIRACLE!**_"

"_**HOW'Z ABOUT SWIMMING BACK TO THE BREWERY WHERE YOU CAME FROM?!**_"

"_**I'D BE GONE BY NOW IF IT WASN'T FOR ALL YOU 'TICKS'!**_"

"_**THAT'S IT, TIME TO SEE IF THOSE MUSCLES ARE REAL OR JUST ARM-FAT!**_"

"_**THEY'LL BE AS REAL AS THE SNAPPING SOUND OF YOUR USLESS BACK-BONE!**_"

(BRA-KA-THOOM)

To Crimson's shock, the Behemoth smashed through the building he was on and used his teeth to grab him! The Behemoth tried to bite his prey in half, but the Golem King's strength surprised him when he grabbed his teeth and pulled the monster's mouth open! Crimson then kicked the beast away and leapt over to Sora and the Elric's side! Al then looked at Maria and Block and said, "Lieutenant, Sergeant, get as much soldiers as you can! We'll try to hold it off here!"

Ross nodded and rushed back to Central HQ with Denny following after her. As they left, Sora said, "Alright Crimson, explain why you're here." Crimson regained his composure and explained, "I'm here as a guiding hand of friendship." Sora then said, "Like the time you taught me the Magic Sword then possessed Ed? Thanks, but no thanks." Crimson then said, "He's bigger than you, you know, and stronger to. I can't imagine a single human standing up to the Behemoth and winning." Ed then said, "That's because they're not us. Behemoths are powerful, but we've mashed Golems, ego-driven villains, armies of assassins and crazy liberators. One Behemoth might not be enough to beat us."

Crimson then said, "ANYONE can beat you, you just don't know how. Enemies like the Behemoth are relentless; they'll push you to a corner and crush you beneath the debris without breaking a sweat! Take Scar for example, he's gone, but not forever. He'll find you and try to finish what he started, all because you haven't convinced him how threatening you are." Sora then said, "Killing doesn't solve anything! That might work for creeps like you, but-!" Crimson then said, "We'll get to that someday, but for now, I'm here to bless you boys with a new addition to your arsenal of interference, behold…(pulls out a jewel) _THE SUMMONING!_"

"No way in Hell." Ed said.

"We just got out of the last Summoning!" Sora said.

"You think we want another?" Al asked.

"THINK AGAIN!" The three yelled.

As Crimson recovered from his quivering, he explained, "You can't seriously think I meant throwing you lot inside another rat's maze, do you? The world's laws summon you to fix a problem that does not belong, but when YOU summon, you bring out mystical beings relative to those whose lives ended. But there are acceptable ways of summoning living beings, we can learn about it later though. (Ed: "WHAT?! BASTARD, WHAT'S YOUR BEEF?!") For now however, you'd best use this as a kick start!"

Crimson then hands the jewel over to Sora and explains, "This is an Earthshine, a jewel which houses the soul of a great king, by which I mean the king of the beasts!"

_**(RRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR)**_

Suddenly, the Behemoth pounced Crimson, who surprised the creature by using the Earthshine to release a loud roar that unleash a powerful shockwave, pushing the beast away and through a building!

Crimson turned to Sora and continued his explanation, "Long ago, he was done in by a loathing relative and since that gruesome murder; he's been walking through limbo with nowhere else to find peace! Nowhere that is…except in the hands of a capable ferryman like yourself." Crimson closed Sora's hand with the Earthshine in it, causing Sora to asked, "A 'ferryman'? What are you trying to pull here?!"

Crimson replied, "Not a damn thing kid. Just take the Earthshine and summon your new pet." Sora brought out his Avenger and said, "Not this time Crimson. _I'M NOT FALLING FOR ANY MORE OF YOUR TRICKS!_" The Keybearer swung his blade at the Golem King, but the masked man was too fast for him! As he attacked, Sora yelled, "You unleash monster after monster, and you take advantage of a heart and corrupt it! You play the part of the mysterious friend, but in the end, you either kidnap a friend or you possess them! You're not getting that chance again, not as long as we can stop you in your-!"

Unexpectedly, the Keyblade successfully lunged into Crimson's chest, but as it did, Sora's sight was blinded by visions…

_**Mommy? MOMMY!**_

The first vision was of a bandaged child reaching out to another hand. The hand vanished before the boy could grasp it!

_**GIVE BACK MOMMY! GIVE THEM ALL BACK!**_

The second vision revealed the boy crying out in agony after stabbing a man with a large red stone…

_**You brat, HOW COULD YOU BE SO HEARTLESS?!**_

The third vision reveals a woman kicking the boy away, forcing the child to flee in agony…

Sora jerked his Avenger out of Crimson and was shocked by what he saw, "Who…what did I-?"

"SORA, LOOK OUT!" Edward yelled!

_**(RRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR)**_

The Behemoth charged at the Keybearer when suddenly-!

(_**KRAC-CK**_)

His neck was snapped by the Golem King!

Everyone stared in shock as Crimson successfully killed the monstrosity with his bare hands…

After kicking his prey over, he stared at Sora with a cold, bone-chilling stare and said, "We'll postpone your lesson…right now, just enjoy whatever peace you have before my return. This is one order I know you'll follow." Sora then approached his enemy and said, "Wait, when my Keyblade touched your heart, I saw-."

Crimson suddenly grabbed Sora by the coat and said, "**GET…**_**LOST.**_"

Sora was quiet while watching his questionable foe leave through a dark portal.

After that, Sora went with the Elrics back to the Second Branch Library and caught up with current events while Ross, Block, and their back-up arrived and began cleaning up the Behemoth's mess. Sora and Ed exchanged stories about what happened, like how Sheska helped the Elrics with making a copy of Marcoh's 'cook book', then was granted permission to join the military, and how Sora came to North City, met with the Restoration Comity then a strange man in a black coat, who summoned Golems to attack, Kairi knocked Sora out and brought him to Central, yet saved him, and then came the questionable disappearance of…

"Donald and Goofy are still missing?"

"We haven't heard anything from them since you left. I'm a bit surprised; I thought they would stick with you until they found their 'precious leader'. Maybe they found him." Edward said. Al then said, "I hope they did, they've been looking for days and weeks with no leads on finding their friend." Sora nodded, "We can only hope, right? Anyway, how's your investigation going?"

Ed answered, "We've gotten close Sora, REALLY close! We'll fill you in on the way, assuming the Behemoth didn't damage the part of your brain that listens." Sora replied, "Oh, very funny STUBBY!"

"_**DON'T REFFER TO ME BY SMALL NAMES, OR EVEN TEENY WEENIES! IT'S UNSANITARY FOR DECLARING MY SIZE TO BE POINTED OUT!**_"

Meanwhile, in Crimson's throne room…

"Welcome back sire, I take it your latest test strengthened the Keyblade Master?" The Blott asked. Crimson didn't say anything, he simple went over to the counter, opened the mini-fridge, and pulled out a lime to start cutting…

Disturbed by Crimson's silent, yet furious attitude, the Phantom Blott reported, "…S-sire, I actually have some good news, it concerns North City. A few weeks ago, I've gathered information on the sightings of a unique figure lurking in different parts of Amestris, they're description fits the recent sighting**, a figure in a black coat.** These hooded figures were spied on and rumored to be connected to MANY secrets concerning a group of creatures posing as humans. These 'creatures' could be the Homunculi we've been hunting for! I believe if we manage to capture one-AT LEAST one of the black-coated figures, then we can interrogate him or her for secrets which may be of use to us! Shall I proceed then sire?"

"…keep that plan active. For now, we have bigger problems." Crimson said as he finished cutting up the lime. He then pulled out a bottle of cherry wine and poured some in a small glass. As he took the small bits of lime and sprinkled a small bit onto the glass, he said, "My test was postponed due to the boy learning (accidentally) a new ability. His Keyblade can now see into the hearts and memories of others. I should know since I was the test subject."

The Phantom Blott asked, "HE SAW YOUR MEMORIES?! What did he see sire? Did he see our plans, the president's whereabouts, ANYTHING?!" Crimson replied, "He saw all he needed to see my sheet-covered poser…I managed to see the spell at work as Sora witnessed my 'birth'. This will make our future alliance an accurate possibility. Eventually he will understand my reasons and he'll understand just how dangerous a manipulative 'friend' can be. Soon Sora, you will see a world filled with thieves and lies as I did…after all,_** liars tricked my village and stole my life.**_"

End of Chapter 117

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**Next Chapter: Sora returns as the Elric's bodyguard while the brothers continue delving into Marcoh's Notes...**

**Please Review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Last time, Sora reunited with Edward and Alphonse, but under the worst circumstances as he was fighting a living legend known to all as the 'Behemoth', the Meteor Spawn which brought chills to whoever heard the name.**

**During the battle, Crimson appeared to try and teach Sora another ability, the power to Summon! However, Sora was all-too familiar with the Golem King's tendency to deceive others, so he swung his Avenger at Crimson! Suddenly, Sora slid the Keyblade onto Crimson's heart and saw visions of a boy suffering the loss of his family...**

**Without lending any word of explanation as to what happened, Crimson ended the lesson, killed the Behemoth single-handedly, and left the city after grimly speaking to Sora. Afterwords, the Elrics had time to report that they found the clues to finding the Philosopher Stone while Sora wondered why Donald & Goofy weren't around...**

**Meanwhile, Crimson returned to his castle to plot Sora's alliance, as well as look back on his life and the cruel tragedy which occurred...**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 118: Reunions and Revelations

After waking from a nightmare of flame and screams, Scar opened his eyes and found himself in a tent being nursed back to health…

He looked around and thought, _Where is this? Am I being kept for interrogation?_ Scar then sat up and looked at his arm, "May God forgive the fools who brought me here-."

"Hey, you're OK! Awesome! HEY RIO, THE DRIFTER'S BACK ON HIS FEET!"

To Scar's astonishment, the boy who celebrated Scar's recovery was himself, an Ishbalin!

Another boy (also an Ishbalin) came to the little boy's call, looked in the tent and said, "Well, it's about time. And a good thing to, we thought you drowned. Good call Rick, go get Grampa while I help this guy out." Rick nodded and headed out. Rio then asked, "So, can you stand?" Scar replied, "Y-yes, no need to trouble me with your help."

"Well if he didn't help you, no one would you know? There's barely enough Ishbalins to see one another these days. We can't afford to ignore one another."

Scar then noticed an elderly man approach the tent. This man had a pleasant look on his face as he explained, "Welcome stranger, this colony is where people like you and us reside and live in peace." Scar came out of the tent and looked around the camp…

"Ishbalins…they're all Ishbalins!"

The elderly man nodded, "Yes, we're all God's children, aren't we? Unfortunately, there are those who see us as something else entirely. Families, orphans alike, all had their lives tarnished by war and greed, but we've managed to find one another, which in a way, is a blessing, wouldn't you agree my friend?"

"…a blessing…it's beliefs like that which makes the world see us as 'something' and not 'someone'." Scar said as he walked away…

Meanwhile, in the Second Branch Library of Central City, Edward and Alphonse were still studying the clues Marcoh hid in his notes. Since his return, Sora was informed by recent events of the Elric's progress and returned to his position as the Elric's bodyguard. However, despite his return, Ross insisted that she and Block remained on duty to watch over the brothers, so the trio of bodyguards kept Edward and Alphonse safe alongside their fellow soldiers, who were called by Hughes to increase the security of the library.

On this day, Sora was leaning near the doorway to Ed and Al's office while yawning in boredom when all of a sudden, Block rushed over to Sora with some news…

"Sora, there's someone who wants to speak with you on the phone!"

Sora followed Block to a phone and picked it up and asked, "This is Sora, who is this?"

"_THIS IS HOLIDAY INN, YOU'VE WON A LAMP! __**WHO DO YOU THINK IT IS, STUPID?!**_"

Sora was shaken by Donald's voice and asked, "D-Donald, I haven't seen you since North City! Are you and Goofy alright?" Donald replied, "We're OK, more importantly, how are you? We haven't seen you since Kairi and the weirdo kidnapped you! Kairi gave us directions back to Central, but we still had out suspicions about your safety!" Sora then said, "It's OK Donald, I got out of their prison cell and arrived back home. Anyway, where are you guys?"

"We got tired of walking, so Goofy and me found a library and settled down." Donald said.

"Which Library? I'll meet you there!" Sora said.

"The one that wasn't burned to bits, 'genius'!"

"…the Second Branch Library?"

"_**WHA-HOW DID YOU-?!**_"

"That's where we are Donald."

"Hiya Sora!" Goofy yelled while waving near the hallway.

Sora and Block looked and noticed Donald standing on a stool while on the phone while Goofy waved to them. Donald placed the phone back on the holder and looked to where Goofy was waving, sure enough, Sora was there, looking at him with a 'what the Hell' kind of face…

Minutes later, Donald and Goofy sat on the opposite side of the table to chat with Sora, who was actually relieved to see them alive after their encounter with the hooded figure in North City. Donald explained how he and Goofy went through the Baschool Mines and was assisted in a fight by a friendly stranger named Ling Yao. Sora then explained to them about how the Elrics had some help from a girl named Sheska, and were currently using the copy she made from Marcoh's 'cookbook' to try and solve the riddle behind the creation of the Philosopher Stone. Sora also explained how he encountered a Behemoth while escaping from his captures, but Crimson came and killed it after Sora accidentally saw the inside of Crimson's memories…

"Wait, what about Crimson's memories?!" Donald asked. Sora explained, "They looked kinda weird and hazed at first, but I think I saw him as a kid. The rest was still fuzzy, but he seemed to have killed someone." Donald sighed, "Yep, typical villain origin. So, when we see him again, we can introduce him to the opposite ends of our rods and smash-!"

"Donald, keep yer voice down! We're in a library after all." Goofy said.

Donald began to calm down while Goofy said, "…this Crimson fella was a human child…Sora, just how did a child like him become a master of the Golems?" Sora replied, "Y'know Goofy, I have no idea. I'm not even sure that WAS Crimson but call it a hunch…his heart…it seemed to resonate with those memories. I can't forget he's an enemy, but after seeing those memories, I don't know, maybe we just need to hear his side of the argument. Hear his reasons, his past, maybe after we understand his random attacks, we can try to reason-."

"**REASON WITH **_**HIM**_**, A MUSCLEBOUND HYENA?!**" Donald asked.

"_SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_" The librarian shushed.

Donald closed his beak and waited a few seconds before saying, "I can understand you wanting to solve a Rubix Cube but trust me, the twists and turns won't complete this puzzle, it'll just turn you into a wreck…like Roger. Crimson might not want to confess his reasons, especially to someone he sees as a tool. Whatever he wants is private, and we don't need to make a big deal out of it. Let's just concentrate on clobbering him to next February until the Golems are gone for good."

Goofy then said, "But Donald, Crimson and the Golems aren't the only ones to worry about. Remember that Xehanort fella? He's got some o' Sora's friends captured somewhere, and we still need to help him find them. Not only that, but we may have to face the ones who're using Kairi, y'know, those guys with the tattoos?"

"…the Homunculi." Sora said to himself.

Donald then said, "Did you really say 'using Kairi'?! Kairi's been one of them since 'who-knows-when'! Kairi can act all 'goody' all she wants, but I can see a parasite in a red toupee any day." Goofy then reminded, "Didn't she advise us on how to get back to Central?" Donald then said, "Yeah, IN THE DARK WITH A BEAR! She probably sent us in those mines knowing we'd get our hides' torn inside-out!" Sora wondered, "Who knows what she's thinking…but one thing's for certain, she's determined to follow me to the ends of Shamballa." Goofy then said, "Aw, I think she likes you Sora!"

"**W-WHAT?!** No way, she pops into my life in a train station holding a gun to my head! That's not love, that's determination! She wants me dead-!" Sora argued until Goofy pointed out, "If she wanted you dead, she would've eaten you by now (ahyuk). She likes you Sora, just try and give her a chance next time and maybe she won't have to hang out with those _Honukeusaurs_ anymore!"

"They're 'Homunculi' Goofy!"

While Donald corrected Goofy, Block said to Ross, "I'm almost jealous Lt. Ross. Children dreamed their whole lives about having talking animals as pets, and here we are today, witnessing a childhood dream coming true-." Ross then said, "That wouldn't be YOUR dream would it?" Block touched his fingers in shyness while confessing, "A man can dream, right?"

Ross shook her head and said, "Get real Block, we're guarding the Elrics. Childhood dreams have no place in the battlefield." Block then said, "But mam, we're not in a battlefield-." Ross interrupted, "With Scar and those Golem creatures lurking around, we might as well be."

Maria looked at Sora as he laughed with Donald and Goofy and smiled while thinking, _Not a care in the world. Has he forgotten his duties to the Elrics? It's like he has, the way he's interacting with those two. It must have been days since I've seen that boy smile. The way I hear it, Y. O. U. T. H. strips an assassin of all emotions, so how is this kid an assassin of Y. O. U. T. H.?_

"Block, I'm heading back to the Elrics' Room. I'll be back shortly, but don't forget to keep an eye out for anything suspicious." Ross said. Block nodded, "What's to suspect? We've already got a talking dog sitting on a chair."

As Ross headed back towards the Elric's room, she noticed the door was slightly opened. She figured that the boys needed their privacy, so she proceeded to closing the door when suddenly; she heard Edward's voice…

"**DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL, THIS CAN'T BE IT-!**"

Alphonse was shocked to see Edward cry out while he threw the notes against the wall angrily! "Brother, what's gotten into you?" Al asked as he tried to reason with Ed. Ed stopped his rampage and covered his eyes, in his stressful mood, Edward explained, "…Alphonse…I…I just-…I solved Marcoh's clues." Al then asked, "Well that's good, right? We can find Sora and-."

"_**NO, WE CAN'T!**_"

As Al wondered why Edward snapped, his brother explained further, "I-I get it now…why they call this 'The Devil's Errand'…why they quit their investigation…or were driven insane by it…as soon as Sora finds out, he won't look at us the same way again…and neither will anyone else!" Al then asked, "Just take a deep breath, Brother; you're starting to scare me."

"…the secret, Al…involving Sora and the others in this search…_it was our mistake to begin with!_ The last ingredient of the Philosopher Stone…_**is live human beings!**_"

Ross overheard Edward's discovery and was overcome with horror…

Ed sat down in a chair and said, "…just when-…just when I thought it was in our grasp…"

Back at the Ishbal Camp, Scar was watching the sunset while removing his bandages.

"HEY, WAIT A SECOND MISTER!"

Scar then noticed Rick approaching him. Rick then asked, "Your wounds haven't healed yet sir, you shouldn't take the bandages off so soon!" Scar replied, "It's alright, this pain is nothing compared to the past…"

"S-so what Grampa said was true…you WERE involved in the battle against the heretics."

What Rick said perked Scar's attention, so he explained, "Yes, they came in great numbers, without even caring who they shot. I was one of the citizens given the duty to keep our homes safe, but no matter how many guns we had, the military was just too powerful. Their alchemy tore through us and left us for dead until we decided to leave our homes, damaged and dying from the army's cruelty."

Rick sat beside Scar and said, "…I'm sorry for asking, it must have brought back some painful memories. I lost somebody to…my mother. Rio told me not to think of her, but I can't help it. She was a good person who helped me on my feet…I think Rio was the last person to see her…"

Scar then said, "…war just brings out the worst in everyone, doesn't it?" Rick nodded in agreement. Scar then stood up, picked up his coat, and said, "Please thank your grandfather and your brother for caring for me." Rick then asked, "You're leaving, but why?" Scar replied, "Don't get me wrong boy, your village is a paradise, but I've done too many things already that go against our God's laws."

Scar began to walk away, but before he did, Rick said, "…that arm, it's incredible."

Scar knew that Rick was talking about his right arm, which was covered in alchemic markings. Scar raised his arm to the sky and stared at it, making him say, "Yes, it is. It was a gift my brother gave me…so that I would never forget…"

End of Chapter 118

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**Next Chapter: A shocking truth shakes Edward's hopes and spirit while at the same time, mistreating those around him...**

**Please Review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Last time, Scar found himself recovering in a camp filled with peaceful Ishbalins, like himself. He was being nursed back to health by two brothers, Rio and Rick, and their elderly grandfather. Believing himself to be unworthy of their kindness, Scar leaves the camp, but not before telling Rick about his tattoo, which was given to him by his older brother...**

**Back in Central City's Second Branch Library, Sora regrouped with Donald and Goofy and the trio exchanged recent events, like how Kairi made it possible for the Genomes to escape North City through the Baschool Mines and how Sora looked into Crimson's memories by accident and found him as a child...**

**However, as peaceful as the day seemed, it ended with a terrifying discovery of the Philosopher Stone's secret...**

**Edward and Alphonse cracked Marcoh's code...and learned that in order to make a stone...they would need a large number of LIVE HUMANS!**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

* * *

Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 119: Friends No More?

After regaling their adventures, Sora, Donald, and Goofy headed to the Elric's office when they noticed Maria and Denny standing outside of the room. Sora approached the two and said, "Hey guys, is Ed still in there? I'm kinda anxious to see how far he's gotten in breaking Marcoh's code." Block replied, "He's been in there for days, so unless he's out eating or in the bathroom-." Ross stopped Block and said, "…Sora…right now may not be the best time to see him. All that reading stressed him out, so maybe we should let him have a good night's rest, don't you agree?" Sora replied, "…Thanks First Lieutenant, but a fuss or two is nothing to be worried about when you're a Y. O. U. T. H. Agent. I've seen Ed mad before, so I'm pretty sure I can handle-."

"Please Sora, just let it go!"

Sora backed away from the door and looked at Maria, wondering why she would stop him. The First Lieutenant sighed and said, "…he's been doing research for two days now, if I was busy doing something that lasted that long, I would be as irritated as the Fullmetal."

Sora looked at the doorway, then at Donald and Goofy, and finally Ross and Block…

"…'pheh', what could happen?"

"_NO!_"

Sora opened the door to greet Ed when suddenly-!

(_**CRASH**_)

A cup of tea was thrown near Sora's head and crashed on the door!

"_**GET OUT! I'M NOT IN A MOOD FOR YOUR CRAP SO JUST GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!**_" Ed yelled furiously!

Alphonse rushed to Sora and said, "I-I'm SO sorry Sora, my brother's been-!" But before Al could explain, Sora passed by him and confronted Edward, "If you're THAT upset after all that research, I can help you and Al!" Ed then said, "In case you haven't realized it 'spiky', I have all the help I need from Al-!" Sora interrupted, "-Then what's with the 'Frustrated Alchemist' here?! What happened to the Fullmetal Alchemist? What happened to the friend who wasn't afraid to ask for help? _**WHAT THE HELL'S YOUR DEAL?!**_" Ed replied, "My 'DEAL' is everything Sora! I found the answers and they weren't what I wanted or would EVER want to know, and even if I wanted to, _**WHY WOULD I TELL A WEAKLING LIKE YOU?!**_"

"You think I'm 'weak'?! Just what kind of moron besides YOU would think or believe such a load?!" Sora asked. Ed replied, "I don't need a newspaper to find 'funny pages' like YOU, you Wannabe Hero! I've witnessed one glory-hog after another, and I'm not looking forward to another!" Sora then argued, "**ANOTHER?! **I work, I protect, and I even put up with your toddler fits about being compared to a friggin' bean! If ANYONE is a 'Wannabe', IT'S YOU 'MR. _I-KNOW-BETTER-BECAUSE-EVERYBODY'S-BELOW-ME-STEIN_'!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE ACTING 'HIGH AND MIGHTY' WHENEVER YOU 'SAVE THE DAY', YOU SUPER-BASTARD!"

"RIGHT, 'I CARE ONLY ABOUT MY IMAGE AND NOT THE PEOPLE AROUND ME'! NO WAIT, THAT'S YOU KEEBLER-JACKASS!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME 'BEACHED-WHALE'?!"

"YOU WANT SOME MORE OLIVER 'TWISTED'?!"

"I DARE YOU 'AFRO-DICK'!"

"_Keebler._"

"_**RRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!**_"

(KA-POW)

Edward punched Sora in the face, tempting Sora to retaliate!

(KA-POW)

At that point, Edward and Sora were constantly hitting one another, angered by each other's words and loathing of one another! The violence was getting out of hand, so Al approached them…

…and swatted Sora away!

"_**STOP IT SORA!**_ You can't just attack a friend when they're dealing with something hurtful!" As Sora stood back on his feet, Ed said, "Just get out Sora, we don't have time for your crap-."

Just then, Al swatted Ed away!

"And **YOU** brother, how could you?! He came in to try and help and you throw things at him!"

"I didn't need you to hit me Al…" Sora said as he wiped the blood from his nose. Sora then continued, "The message hit me a long time ago. You guys hate having me around, that's why some of your 'plans' stay between you guys and not around me! You see me as some jeopardy to your plans, but I wanted to help out more, all I REALLY wanted was to help out! I didn't have anyone outside Y. O. U. T. H. except Namine, and she's been missing for years! Then I met you two, my first friends in the outside world after I was held up in that stupid orphanage for my entire childhood! I loved the time I spent with you guys on adventures and battles against the Golems and creepy villains; we were-to me at least, an unbeatable team! But you hated me being around…didn't you Edward? You said it once before, right? 'You don't need a bodyguard.' Well if you don't need me-."

"-I never did. You're right, I never needed your 'heroism' blocking our path, so why don't you take your 'Magic Key' leave reality, and go back to your little dream world?! Heckle someone else about friendship for once '_**FLUNKY**_'!"

Sora was shocked to hear Ed confess the truth, so he clenched his fists and said, "…fine…as your wish, '_Your Highness_'. **GOOD RIDDANCE, 'FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST'!**" Sora stormed off and out of the Second Branch Library, followed by Donald and Goofy…

As Sora left, Edward collapsed on a couch and said, "…God must really hate people who go against him. I was 11 back then, and since then, he STILL has me marked. Every time I reach closer, he snatches hope away…or lets it fall on my face! And then, when I finally got my hand around it…he raises his big obnoxious foot and kicks me down!"

Al then asked, "Brother…are you even hearing yourself? You yelled one of our friends out just because you learned something terrible. Are you so miserable that you'd risk making everyone else feel the same way?" Ed answered, "What's the point of having someone close to you when in the end; they'll be just as miserable as you? I did him a favor Al, I spared him! Just face it Al, we're going to be like this forever…"

"Don't say that!" Al said. Ed then rolled over to the right on the couch so he couldn't see Al, then he said "I really thought we had it brother…I really did. I thought we would find the Philosopher Stone and it would all be better, but-."

Al then said, "It's not over brother, I'm sure of it! We can still try to find a way to get our bodies back and be human again, we'll be happy again brother. People say you're a dog of the military, that you sold your soul to get this far, but that isn't true! Those words didn't stop us, and this won't either. We've been looking for it too hard, and we weren't the only ones…remember?"

Ed remained silent…

Al then said, "Remember what you told Rose, 'decide on your own, get up and move forward'. We still have legs brother, so I'm going to use mine, and find Sora."

Al left the room and headed out while Ed sat up from the couch and thought about what Al said…

Meanwhile, Sora walked through Traverse Town while being chased by Donald and Goofy.

Donald then said, "AH PHOOEY, who need's the elf anyway?! We can find the president without him!" Goofy then said, "But without Mr. Elric, we won't be able to ride trains to different places anymore!" Donald then said, "C'mon Goofy, we can just have a taxi take us through Amestris! After looking high and low, I'm sure we'll find him, right Sora?"

Donald then noticed Sora heading into Kronk's Burgers for a meal. As the Keybearer sat on a stool, he rang the bell, bringing the chef over to take his order…

"Hey there kids, how can I take your order?" Kronk asked. Sora answered, "…yeah, I'll have the Cheeseburger Twins Special, one with Mozzarella and the other with Pepperjack. For the Side-dish, I'll have Xing Fries, Chili Dip, and Orange Popcorn Chicken. And the drink will just be a Potion-Cola."

"_Sesame Sisters with freckles and tanned features, Fried Taters complete with a Hot Tub and Chicken Little's for movies and the Refresher for the taste-buds, __**GOT IT!**_" Kronk said with a smile.

Donald and Goofy sat next to Sora, who asked, "Hey, you guys want anything?" Donald replied, "How'z about the Veggie-Tails and Curly Fries?" Goofy then said, "I'm just thirsty tonight so I'd like some Tea." Kronk then asked, "What flavor sir?" Goofy replied, "UH-H-H-…"

"Try the Tsubaki…the tea is to die for, trust me."

"Gwarsh thanks, I'll take the Tsubaki Tea." Goofy requested. Goofy then said, "Thanks for the advice Sora." Sora then said, "Goofy…I didn't say that."

The trio turned around and saw someone quite familiar…the figure in the black hood from North City!

"So Sora, did you enjoy seeing your friends?" The hooded figure asked. Sora replied, "…what do you know about my friends…or any friends, better yet, why don't you tell me where Namine is?!" The hooded figure answered, "Is Namine all you have? Then I suppose you ARE ready…" Sora was confused by the hooded figure's statement, so he asked, "…what do you mean?" The hooded figure answered, "You've parted with what you couldn't in the past…your friends."

Sora was unsure of what the hooded figure was getting at, so he listened to what the hooded figure said next, "Yes Sora, your life is not a private one. Riku vanishes, Kairi captures you, and just recently, Edward renounced you as his bodyguard. Imagine what happens next, when the military hears about your 'defection' and hunts you for the rest of your life. You've lost the rest of your 'brothers and sisters' from Y. O. U. T. H. and suffered the loss of the entire town of Lior, it will take years to undue the mess you've caused! I can only imagine how your family will take this sorrowful news… Namine can forgive you, just as she never forgot about you."

Donald tried to talk some sense into Sora, "He's lying…HE'S LYING SORA, DON'T TRUST HIM!"

"_**JUST SHUT UP DONALD!**_"

The hooded figure then said, "Years will make you an old man by the time you find the next orphan. Do not '_**waste**_' when you can make '_**haste**_'. Save Namine, and you will never be mistreated again."

"…what do you want?" Sora asked. The Hooded figure replied, "What do you have to give? You can't give the clothes you wear, nor can you give the voice, eyes, or ears on your flesh. All you can TRULY give me…is the Key-."

(_**VA-VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH**_)

Suddenly, Sora, Donald, and Goofy noticed a motorcycle zooming behind the hooded figure! The hooded figure turned around and saw the motorcycle approaching him, so he stepped aside to let the biker by!

As Sora and his friends looked, they noticed the wheels were actually large Chakrams emitting a large amount of flame through the streets! The trio also noticed that the biker was no biker, but another hooded figure!

The biker spun his motorcycle around Sora, Donald and Goofy until they were surrounded by a wall of fire! The biker finally came to a stop and parked his cycle near the restaurant. The biker then disembarked his bike and walked towards the other hooded figure, who then asked, "You came at a bad time, 'Dancer'. This had better be-."

"Oh, but it is, I'm here as your substitute 'Pedal-Head'."

The hooded figure was a bit shocked, but he asked, "…I trust these orders came from the superior?" The biker replied, "Well…in a manner of speaking…plus, you've been hogging the 'Hero' long enough! I think it's time someone else had a turn, don't you?" The hooded figure then said, "So be it, you may test him, but take my word for it, this situation was better off in a professional's hands, not an armature's."

Sora called out, "WAIT, YOU STILL HAVE TO TELL ME WHERE NAMINE IS!" The hooded figure looked at Sora and said, "Ask the 'sub', then you might be given the answers you seek…" The hooded figure then walked through a Dark Portal and left the area…

"It's my show now 'Keyblade Master'! But since I've committed your name to memory, I suppose you should do the same for my name. Who am I you ask?" The biker then took off his helmet to reveal red, spiky hair and his cheeks marked with black diamond tattoos. The biker then said, "…the name's **Axel, **_**GOT IT MEMORIZED?!**_" Sora nodded, so Axel summoned two burning Chakrams to his hands and said, "You're a good listener kid, I like you! So now that we've come to know each other 'so well'…_**then you shouldn't go off and die on me when this is over…**_"

End of Chapter 119

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**Next Chapter: Sora faces off against the mysterious Axel!**

**Please Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Last time, Edward and Alphonse discovered the secret of the Philosopher Stone, which was a large amount of live humans! Unknowing of the situation, Sora came to help them with finding out the secret Marcoh hid in his notes, however, since he already knew the secret, Edward became grief-stricken and enraged, and insulted his bodyguard harshly! The two began to bicker and fight until Edward admitted he NEVER wanted Sora around...**

**And so Sora left the Second Branch Library with Donald and Goofy while Edward cursed God for the unfortunate events that led to him and Al's appearance, but despite setbacks, Alphonse still believed in hope and went out to bring the Keyblade Master back...  
**

**Sora meanwhile walked through Traverse Town, wondering what to do next, until the hooded man from North City appeared! After revealing his knowledge of Sora's misfortunes, the hooded man baited Sora into coming with him to see Namine and abandoning everyone he knew. Suddenly, before Sora could make a decision, a motorcycle rider came from out of the blue and challenged the Keybearer! The rider introduced himself as Axel, ally of the hooded man, and challenged the Keyblade Master to a fight!**

**Warning: Kingdom Hearts and Fullmetal Alchemist are both licensed by Square-Enix. The secondary licenses for both franchises are Disney (Kingdom Hearts), Aniplex, Bones Inc., and Funimation (Fullmetal Alchemist). **

**PS: There will be spoilers.**

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Fullmetal Kingdom: The Fanfic

Chapter 120: Dancing Flames

Inside the Second Branch Library, Edward laid on the sofa, distressed by what he learned…the Philosopher Stone's price was NOT a sane exchange. He has cracked the code to Marcoh's secret and found that the key ingredient was a large amount of living people! And what's worse was what he said to Sora, which forced him out of his service. Alphonse, believing that what Ed did wasn't natural, set out into the city to search for Sora.

It was already 40 minutes after, and Edward was still sulking…

"Mr. Elric, Sora and Alphonse left a while ago. Shouldn't we go after them?" Ross asked. Ed replied, "Why stain the shoes? My brother knows the way back." Ross then said, "Are you leaving him to?" Ed grunted, "Shut up, why're you even here?" Ross answered, "To get you out of your soap box and help the ones who helped you. There's a chance Scar might attack, and yet your brother went out there, alone, regardless of the risks."

Edward stood up and said, "I don't need some bodyguard like you to-!" Ross then said, "I'm not 'some bodyguard' and neither is Sora! He was your friend and a loyal one at that! Are you so angry from your discovery that you'd be willing to shut the world away? Would you shut your brother away?"

"_**YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!**_"

Ross shook her head and said, "…you're wrong Fullmetal, I know the secret to making the Philosopher Stone is living people."

Edward shook in surprise, "H-how did you-?!" Ross answered, "You've been reading so many books that you've failed to notice the door being slightly opened." Ed sat back down on the sofa and said, "…then you know I've failed…I failed Al-." Ross then said, "Stop it, you're part of the military, there's no room for tears OR weakness." Ed then said, "You wouldn't say that if you had a brother, cursed forever because of a mistake you made. I deserve all of it…I deserved it…not him…my brother lost his body and I only lost a leg and an arm! My body for his…is that what you want God? (sniff-sniff) **IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT-?!**"

"_**I SAID STOP IT!**_"

Ed ceased his mental breakdown as Maria roared! Ross then said, "…it would have been the same for Alphonse, you know? If he lost you, he'd do anything; even sacrificing himself, all to see you alive and happy. Your brother feels the same way you do, don't you understand? That's why he went after Sora, because you would have done the same thing regardless of any secret. Despite the secrets Edward, they can't do any real damage if you stay the way you are. You don't have to give up; you just have to avoid making this choice. You can do that, right?"

Ed looked at the notes…and wiped his tears away. He then said, "…I never intended on any sacrifice but my own…but you're right…Alphonse…we're all we've got, and losing one or the other…is unbearable…" Ross then asked, "So…are you going to look for Al?" Ed replied, "…Yeah…but I'm bringing the lunatic back to." Ross sighed, "Are you really going to say that about your _**best friend**_?"

Ed answered, "Sora's NOT my best friend, he's-!"

"He's what, 'just a bodyguard'?" Ross asked.

Ed sighed, "…he's the best friend I've ever had…"

(_**KRA-KA-THOOM**_)

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Ross asked. She and Ed then headed over to the window to find a heavy amount of flame emitting from Central…

In the burning section of the city, Sora and the Genomes were beaten down by Axel, whose abilities caught them completely by surprise!

Axel picked up one of his chakras from the ground and said, "Resilient, aren't we? I've already set fire to most of the battlefield, and here you are, barely standing. Y'know, my fires would incinerate my enemy, but I guess that Keyblade makes you VERY lucky…too bad your friends are almost at their limit." Sora looked at Donald and Goofy as they were lying against the buildings, weakened and unable to continue.

Axel then asked, "Thinking of calling an ambulance? Smart move, after all, those two won't take another hit. I wonder how roast duck tastes…" Sora suddenly staggered to his feet and said, "Stay…away…" Axel then said, "Sorry kid, but this fight was supposed to test you, and after chucking everything you got at me, you're no longer any fun. It's my experience that a man can fight better when they have nothing to lose…so I'd say it's time…_**TO LOSE A BUNCH OF 'NOTHINGS' RIGHT NOW!**_"

(**BAMF**)

Axel then shot two spheres of flame at Donald and Goofy! Sora tried to charge at him, but his back was over heating from the Automail Spine's exposure to too much fire! Sora couldn't move, all he could do is watch his friends become a BBQ dinner…

(_CLAP_)

Suddenly, a wall emerged from the ground and protected Donald and Goofy!

As Axel wondered what happened, Sora noticed someone approaching…

"SORA!" Alphonse called out as he headed for him!

As the younger Elric rushed to Sora's aid, Axel noticed him and unleashed a trail of flame! Alphonse quickly jumped to Sora and carried him out of the way!

As the building nearby was incinerated, Axel said, "I heard the Fullmetal had an 'empty' brother, he must be talking about you." Alphonse gave no mind to Axel's insult; instead, he gave Sora a Hi-Potion, "Sorry about my brother, he's just had a hard time coping with what he learned." Sora slowly drank the Hi-Potion and said, "…why…did you…?" Al replied, "We're a team, remember? You're an irreplaceable member of the team."

"Edward…kicked me…out." Sora said. Al then said, "Give him time, and he'll apologize and feel like he did before. But for now, get up. That Hi-Potion healed your wounds by now, so I'll need you if we're going to stop that guy from turning the city into a crater." Al offered his hand to Sora to help him up, but when Sora grabbed it…

"**LOOK OUT!**"

Sora and Al jumped to different sides to avoid Axel's attack! As he pulled the chakras from the ground, Axel said, "Ignoring your enemy in a battle to the death won't result in the opposite for your side. Got it memorized?"

Just then, a spear passed by Axel's nose, leaving a slight cut on the tip!

"…Loud and clear." Al said.

Sora then stood up and said, "He's tough Al, REALLY tough." Al then suggested, "Then we'll soften him up with bruises!" Al then threw a punch at Axel, who simply dodged and threw his chakras at Al! As the iron alchemist was blown away, Sora countered with a mighty swing from his weapon, batting Axel away! Sora then charged and prepared for another attack, but Axel disappeared!

"Didn't count on that, did you?"

Sora was then attacked by both Axel's chakras, and when they connected-!

(_**KRA-KA-THOOM**_)

Sora was blown back, but luckily, Al caught him and supplied him with another Hi-Potion! Al then said, "This is insane! It's like we're fighting a reckless Mustang!" Sora then realized, "Mustang…wait, Alphonse, we just need to douse Axel with water or ice, anything cold-!"

(_**KRA-KOOM**_)

Axel attacked the duo, forcing the two to dodge! "BLIZZARD!" Sora shot an ice spike at Axel, but the dancer simply melted the ice by spinning his burning chakras! Axel then gloated, "When it's too hot, the cold can't touch-_**GAAAAH!**_" To Axel's surprise, Al used alchemy to change a fire hydrant into a cannon that shot out water! Sora quickly aided Al's water cannon with Blizzard spells, overpowering Axel!

After a few minutes passed, the area Axel was standing in was covered in steam…

"What do you think, did we get him?" Al asked. Sora answered, "I dunno, people like him are unpredictable. Besides, he could teleport, by now; he's probably hiding somewhere, waiting for us to screw up."

"Bingo."

To Sora and Al's surprise, Axel appeared right behind them! The hooded young man then said, "Did you really think I'd get beaten 'oh-so' easily? I'm not on the same level as you rookies, but to be honest Sora, my purpose for being here was merely to raise that level…and make you a stronger Keyblader. I believe 'thanks' are in order, no?" Sora was confused, "You were…testing me?" Axel answered, "-and you passed. Congrats Sora, you're ready to save Namine-."

"ALPHONSE, SORA!"

Edward startled Axel as he rushed towards his friends. Ed noticed Donald and Goofy on the ground, weak and in great pain, so he looked at Axel and asked, "Alphonse did that guy-?" Al nodded, "Yes, he nearly killed us, and all because he wanted to test Sora." Axel then said, "That size…Oh right, Edward Elric! The superior told us allot about you." Edward smirked, "I didn't know cloaked freaks like you had an interest in me."

Axel then looked at Sora and said, "We are interested in everything that surpasses humanity's expectations, including those who survived the Gate, and those who can wield a Keyblade. You and your friends should be very grateful for catching the eyes of the Organization. But enough about deep dark secrets, I still owe you Namine, don't I? Well sorry kids, but she's not with me at the moment!" Sora then asked, "Then where is she?! Didn't you say you would give me the location of Namine?!"

"The guy earlier said that, but I didn't."

Sora was about to throw his fist when Ed grabbed it and said, "I said we'd help you look for your friends, didn't I? That means we won't need this guy's help. Trust your friends Sora…and trust me." Axel then said, "It seems you've thrown away the selfish feelings you had in your heart…I'm impressed Edward, I'd figure you would've given into darkness by now. After all, the idea of sacrificing lives could drive ANYONE mad, wouldn't it?" Ed looked angrily at Axel, who then said, "Sora, Namine is safe…but before you go off to the rescue…you should give some more thought to whom it is that's MOST important to you."

Sora asked, "What do you mean 'most' important? It's my friends, DUH!" Axel shook his head and said, "Right…but which friend? I could say Namine, and yet…it wouldn't be right…it has to be someone from your 'true' memories."

As the trio wondered what Axel meant, Axel said, "Our most precious memories lay dormant inside our hearts, and can remain out of our reach…but I'm sure YOU can find yours Sora. You can find the memories of that one special someone who you share a strong bond with." Sora then asked, "I-I don't get it…you're not talking about Namine…are you?" Axel slowly offered his hand to Sora and said, "(chuckle) Would you care for…a hint?"

Sora looked at his hand and said, "…maybe…maybe I've been chasing the wrong-." Edward suddenly slapped Axel's hand away and said, "He'll stay true to himself, he doesn't need your 'hints', so why don't you beat it before I get pissed!" Axel looked at Ed and chuckled; "Now THAT'S a friend! Looking after the ones you know and care for! I'm beginning to like you guys; however, this is something Sora has to-."

"…Axel…I think I'm gonna figure it out for myself."

Axel smiled and said, "…good choice, she'll be glad you found her." Axel then boarded his motorcycle and as he placed his helmet back on his head, he said, "-But be for warned…when your sleeping memories awaken…you may no longer be 'you'." And with that, Axel drove off into the streets…

Alphonse then wondered, "Brother, what do you think he meant?" Ed replied, "Hell if I know. Being someone else instead of you…how could he be anyone else?"

(_**VA-VOOSH**_)

Suddenly, a trace of black flame came on Sora's right hand! "**SORA, YOUR HAND-!**" Edward called out. Sora quickly looked at his right hand, only to be puzzled…

"What about it?" Sora asked. As Sora wondered what Ed was being hyper about, Edward whispered to Al, "…Did you see that Al?! Al replied, "I did brother, it looked almost like he was becoming a-." Before Al could say anything, Sora approached them and said, "We should get Donald and Goofy to the hospital. They're not looking too well." Ed nodded, "Alright, let's get moving."

Meanwhile inside Central's clock tower…

"Is this true Kairi?" Lust asked. Kairi replied, "Envy can say whatever he wants, I'm NOT the one who let Sora out of his cell!" Envy then asked, "Then how did 'Romeo' get out, 'Juliet'?" Kairi replied, "That much…is partly my fault. I couldn't live with myself if I allowed you to execute him." Envy sneered, "So, it's sentiment. Since when did you develop a soul, or better yet, a 'loving' soul? You became one of us remember? That means you do what we say, WHEN we say!"

Lust shook her head in disappointment and said, "This was my fault, I shouldn't have allowed you to get close to him." Kairi begged, "Please Lust, I'm begging you, let me recruit him! His memories of me are all I want from him-!" Envy chuckled, "-With the extra bonus of a 'smooch'!"

Before Kairi could say anything, the Homunculus's leader spoke…

**Kairi, you have allowed yourself to be possessed by your weak heart.**

**Such weakness CANNOT be overlooked!**

"My apologies Father, please forgive my transgression." Kairi said.

**You are forgiven…on one condition…**

Suddenly, Gluttony grabbed Kairi from behind! Kairi yelled, "**W-WHAT'RE YOU DOING?! LET ME GO GLUTTONY, **_**LET ME GO!**_" Envy smiled and took out a few Red Stones…

**The condition…that you will be **_**stripped of will and soul!**_

End of Chapter 120

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**Next Chapter: An old archenemy makes his move, and the Elric Brothers are NOT gonna like it!**

**Please Review!**


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